RNZ
Pharmac’s move to drop Māori Directorate slammed by union as ‘another breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi’
Pharmac acting chief executive Brendan Boyle said the agency was working through an internal process to create a Māori engagement model that was more comprehensive, sustainable and effective.
A Pharmac proposal to disestablish its specialist Māori advisory team is an abandonment of Pharmac’s commitment to Māori health, the Public Service Association (PSA) says.
The proposal to disestablish the Māori Directorate was announced to staff on Monday, and would see a net loss of three roles, including those responsible for supporting an anti-racism research programme, the PSA said.
Pharmac acting chief executive Brendan Boyle said the agency was working through an internal process to create a Māori engagement model that was more comprehensive, sustainable and effective.
“This is part of a bigger work programme to make the organisation more outward-focused and responsive to the health needs of all New Zealanders. No decisions have been made at this stage.”
Janice Panoho, Kaihautū Māori for the PSA, said the proposal was a result of the government’s Letter of Expectations to Pharmac instructing it to stop embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi in its funding decisions.
“This is an abandonment of Pharmac’s commitment to the health of Māori and another breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” she said.
It follows Pharmac’s decision late last year to disestablish its in-house Māori Advisory Group, Te Rōpū, made up of medical specialists including doctors, pharmacists and researchers.
The roles responsible for supporting the work of the now-defunct group were among those considered to be axed under the latest proposal.
“This latest proposal flies in the face of Pharmac’s statutory obligation to consider equity and address racism in access to medicines – this change will further diminish the voice of Māori in Pharmac’s funding decisions,” Panoho said.
Across the public service, the government was overriding its legal obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and washing its hands of the partnership between the Crown and Māori that previous governments embraced, she said.
“We urge the government and Pharmac to not walk away from Te Tiriti o Waitangi if it’s serious about improving the health outcomes of Māori.”
Lol the racist piggies are fighting to remain at the trough.
The proposal to disestablish the Māori Directorate an anti-racism research programme, the PSA said.would help to stop racism.
Why do they need white man drugs in the first place? Just go chew on a Kawakawa leaf or something, but leave Pharmac alone.
Given colonisation has virtually doubled their life expectancy, I’d say maori are on a better trajectory than anyone else.
You can usually tell when they are on their way out.
They get a gong of some sort.
The jabby will get a lot of them in the next year.
Was that a white man’s medicine?
Did their branch of Pharmac push it on them, and who profited?
So many questions and so few answers.
You will find most were induced to get jabbed by “their own people”
Marae were given millions to push the jab. Like lambs to the slaughter, what harm would a large portion of KFC do?
For “Maori Health” you have to know who is “Maori.” Does being a white-skinned blue-eyed person with one ancestor in the 19th century being maori make you a “Maori” compared with a 100% pure Cook Islander or Rarotongan?