Pee Kay
No Minister
They slap us in the face, call us racists, condemn ‘white privilege’ and at the same time they have the effrontery to abuse taxpayer generosity with mismanagement of government funded Māori Health Providers!
This is my follow up to PDM’s posting last week of Peter Williams’ article, The Dysfunctional Maori Health Trusts, by way of an open letter sent to Minister of Health Simeon Brown.
An Open Letter to Hon Simeon Brown,
Minister of Health
Subject: Māori Health Providers
Dear Minister Brown,
It was with a certain degree of concern that I recently read an article penned by Peter Williams about his disquiet around Maori Health Providers and stories that are emerging concerning issues such as nepotism, staff grievances and financial impropriety.
Concern, because this is the third Māori Health Provider to be in the spotlight recently for various transgressions.
https://peterallanwilliams.substack.com/p/the-dysfunctional-maori-health-trusts
Earlier, most had all read of the Waipareira Trust issues, serious issues that have links to the Tamihere family, the funding of John Tamihere’s political campaigns, the Manukau Marae/Māori Party voting irregularities and its charitable status that has now been revoked.
Last week it was Willie Jackson inserting himself into a Manukau Urban Māori Authority dispute involving his wife who is the CEO. She has been accused of running a toxic workplace and multiple serious cases of bullying and misconduct.
Now this week, Peter Williams relates how the Otago Daily Times, after a year-long investigation into Te Kāika, a Dunedin Māori Health Provider, has exposed and uncovered “a slew of disgruntled former staff members, allegations of misconduct and personal grievance payouts.”
Reporting how the charity behind Te Kāika, Ōtakou Health Limited (OHL) has breached its own constitution and is being investigated by the Department of Internal Affairs over unsecured interest-free loans to the board chairwoman and her CEO son.
New Zealand has a significant and growing number of Māori-owned or controlled health and social service providers.
My research showed, in 2021, there were around 225 dedicated Māori Health Providers. Sitting alongside those businesses there was also a number of Māori enterprises who provide healthcare and social assistance.
That number, in the 2023/24 year has blown out by 42 per cent to now sit at 320 Māori Health Providers.
It is difficult not to think a Māori health service is now perceived to be a “license to print money” by senior tribal leaders.
Minister Brown, as you know, all these Māori Health Providers receive significant government funding. They are contracted to deliver culturally specific services, that are intended to improve Māori health outcomes.
The important questions are, have these Māori health services actually improved Māori health outcomes?
Are Māori health outcomes even measured?
Are they able to be measured accurately?
Is the government able to quantify if they are receiving value for money from Māori Health Providers?
When we, as taxpayers, see funding to Māori health providers increase from $529.8 million in 2019/20 to $999.8 million in 2023/24, an increase of $469.9 million or 88.7 per cent, how can we not be concerned that our tax dollars are being squandered on self-aggrandisement, on dubious roles for family members and lavish premises?
How can you look at the scale of salaries at the Waipareira Trust where the average remuneration for senior management staff was $510,000 for the 2022–2023 financial year and not conclude ‘They are in it simply for financial gain!’
Waipareira Trust, in the financial years ending June 2023/2024 reported a cash surplus of $75 million!
Why is that money not being spent on improving Māori health outcomes, as it is meant to Minister Brown?
For all the tales of self-aggrandisement, nepotism and the squandering of taxpayer money by the elite and their family members who sit firmly ensconced at the top table, Peters Williams last line in his article, to me, is by far the saddest in this recounting of sordid behavior –
“But has this government got the courage for such intervention? Sadly, no.”
Surely Minister Brown, that line must concern you, must concern your government?
Because how much more of this mismanagement of taxpayer funds, how much more funding of excessive salaries and lavish lifestyles do you expect the voters to endure?
What other transgressions or violations of trust must occur before your government takes action to put an end to this, seemingly, interminable flow of largess into the pockets of the, so called, Māori elite?
How much longer will your government turn a blind eye to what can only be seen as manipulation of government funding and the exploiting of the Māori community in general?
Yours sincerely,
……..
My further thoughts:
As with the Waipareira Trust, Manukau Urban Māori Authority are sitting in a very comfortable financial position with cash reserves over $10.5 million.
But surely it is their income that requires some government scrutiny? What changed between 2023 and 2024 when their income skyrocketed from around $3 million (2023) to a huge $16 million (2024)!
How did that happen? What new funding opportunities were uncovered? What new rorts were perpetrated on taxpayers?
The Remuneration Authority sets benchmarks for public sector roles and Māori Urban organisations often use those as a yardstick for setting their executive salaries.
The Remuneration Authorities reports show CEO’s of large public entities average over $500k in 2024/25. So, it is highly probable Willie Jackson’s wife is being remunerated to a very similar level.
So many of the ‘Māori elite’ are living privileged and advantaged lifestyles.
So many of the ‘Māori elite’ very conveniently call inequality racism because it allows them to avoid talking about their personal wealth. I would guarantee Willie is not feeling too much of the economic inequality.
Yet so, so many of ‘their people’ live in an impoverished state, sleeping in cars or sleeping rough. So many of ‘their people’ fail to ensure their children receive an education; so many of ‘their people’ are over represented in prison populations!
Willie Jackson and his ‘Māori Elite’ cohort feel so emboldened about being able to, not only purloin money off Joe Bloe taxpayer and toss it at every cuzzy’s outstretched hand but also establish an additional ability for ‘Māori Elite’ to exert and wield further influence and control.
Willie Jackson so often claims that this government neglects Māori communities and ignores structural disparities, citing billions slashed from Kaupapa Māori initiatives like housing, health, and education, but is that in actuality the problem?
Is not the real problem, who, if truth be told, is actually neglecting Maori?
This article was originally published by No Minister.
