M¯aori advocate: ‘They should not be dying’

Negotiations to fix Ma¯ ori health inequalities have been delayed and advocates say Ma¯ ori will continue to suffer due to the inaction.

Waitangi Tribunal claimant Lady Tureiti Moxon says she has lost patience with the Government over delays to negotiations.

‘‘The power, decision making and the resources are all in the hands of the Government and they won’t move,’’ she said. ‘‘Yet, our people are still suffering . . . And yet no-one seems to care. It is wrong, they should not be dying.’’

Moxon is part of two Waitangi Tribunal claimant groups who have been meeting with Crown officials since July last year to address Ma¯ ori health inequities, the underfunding of Ma¯ ori health organisations and a possible, standalone Ma¯ori health authority. The tribunal asked the Crown and claimants to work together as part of its stage one Health Services and Outcomes Inquiry recommendations.

In its report released last July, the tribunal listed serious Treaty breaches and failings by the Crown. The tribunal asked the claimants and Crown to return in January with an update on how they planned to address the recommendations. Instead, the Crown said it still did not have a position on the tribunal’s findings. The Crown said it would only ‘‘... commit to an engagement on the interim recommendations’’. Cabinet has considered the recommendations in a Ministry of Health briefing but won’t release it. The Ministry of Health said: ‘‘The response is currently being worked on and as part of the process it is really important we liaise with claimants on the response and the process first.’’

Moxon said there was a will between both parties to engage but no decisions could be made unless Cabinet said so.

Associate Minister of Health (Ma¯ ori health) Peeni Henare said he had been clear with the claimants they would have to wait for the Health and Disability System Review due in March.

‘‘We are all wanting the same thing in terms of better health outcomes for our people,’’ he said.

Moxon said she did not want to spend the next two or three years negotiating for a Ma¯ori health authority if Cabinet was not ever going to sign it off.

‘‘Ma¯ ori want an independent health authority so we can be in control of our own health and actually start to gain equity with others in the country.’’

The Crown and claimants are expected to return to the Waitangi Tribunal in June.