Whanau Ora providers named

158 provider organisations have come together into 25 collectives to deliver whanau ora over much of the country.

There was a capacity crowd at Takapuwahia marae in Porirua to see who is part of the new model to deliver social and health services over much of the country.

The list includes iwi, urban authorities, mainstream providers and collectives and four Pacific Island providers, who Whanau Ora Minister Tariana Turia says see the policy as a way to recreate the Pacific village in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

The rigorous selection process managed by Te Puni Kokiri has left some significant areas uncovered, including Thames Coromandel, South Waikato and Taupo, Horowhenua and Manawatu and the Wairarapa.

All the providers have existing contracts to provide health or social services,

Whanau Ora will allow them to integrate many of those services and contracts and employ or redeploy staff as whanau navigators who will provide the main contact with families in need of help.

Mrs Turia says the programme is just the start but it could lead to a fundamental change in the way government delivers services not just to Maori but to all New Zealanders.

PETERS SAYS INITIATIVE SET UP TO FAIL

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says Whanau Ora is set up for failure.

Mr Peters says the system of Maori taking over social and health services with a whanau approach won’t work.

“If you are saying that the way to fix up problems is through the family and yet you know you have so many dysfunctional families, how will that possibly work. So the structure is a pipe dream and the funding, even if the first thing is right, is absolutely totally set up for failure,” he says.

Mr Peters says of $20 million allocated for Whanau Ora $5 million will go to bureaucrats and the other $15 million will be spread among 42 iwi meaning they will get about $500 each or what a Queen St lawyer would charge an hour.

He says New Zealand First would treat Maori as key priorities within each government department.

Mr Peters is expected to announce which electorate he will be contesting the next election at the party's annual conference this weekend in Christchurch.

WORLD ROWING CHAMPS OPEN ON LAKE KARAPIRO

The world will see Maoridom as perhaps never before when the World Rowing Championships are held at Lake Karapiro over the next eight days.

The event which opens with a powhiri at 3 o'clock tomorrow is being run by a partnership of Rowing New Zealand and Ngati Haua and Koroki Kahukura iwi integrating Maori culture and activities at all levels.

Organiser Willie Te Aho says the opening ceremony, which will be broadcast to an audience of over 100 million throughout the world, will include four waka from Turangawaewae and local kapa haka groups.

Mr Te Aho says the event headquarters have an area set up where visitors can taste Maori food and watch of carving, ta moko, weaving demonstrations through the events.

WHANAU ORA OFFERS CHANCE TO MOVE BEYOND CRISIS

One of the architects of whanau ora says it should mean fundamental change in the way whanau development is viewed.

Sir Mason Durie, the head of Maori studies at Massey University, was at the hui at Takapuwahia Marae in Porirua to introduce the first 25 provider collectives who will deliver health and social services under the new integrated model.

He says too often Maori families have little say in what happens to them when they encounter state agencies.

“To a large extent we view whanau as a series of crises waiting to happen and in fact if we take that view we miss the main potential that lies in whanau. The biggest challenge in this for providers, let alone whanau themselves, but for providers the biggest challenge is to use a crisis as a way of encouraging whanau to develop their own capability and their own strengths,” Sir Mason says.

DOWNER BOSS WINS WALK THE TALK EMPLOYMENT AWARD

The winner of the Walk the Talk Award at last night’s Equal Employment Trusts Work and Life Awards in Auckland says his workers are part of his family.

Henare Clarke from Ngati Porou started work with Downers as an 18 year old, and 33 years later oversees 275 full time staff as Downers' Auckland area manager.

He says over the years he's worked hard to bring his predominantly Maori and Polynesian workforce together, and even formed a multicultural kapa haka group to improve morale.

“They all come from tough backgrounds. They all come from backgrounds where people probably haven’t taken any notice of them and I take a lot of time out to try to find out who they are and who their wife is or partner is sop that when I catch up with them outside work so I can have that talk with them as well so yeah, you almost feel like a parent,” Mr Clarke says.

He received his Equal Employment Opportunities Trust Award from the Honourable Tariana Turia at a ceremony in front of 400 guests at Auckland War memorial Museum last night.

KAUMATUA DIES ON EVE OF ROWING REGATTA

There is sadness mixed with excitement among Ngati Koroki Kahukura iwi.

While the iwi is heavily involved in organising the World Rowing championships on Lake Karapiro which kicks off with a powhiri at 3PM tomorrow they are also lamenting the death of elder Bob Tairi yesterday.

Spokesman Willie Te Aho says as well as being heavily involved in tribal politics Bob Tairi had been a driving force in rugby league for many years as a member of the New Zealand Maori Rugby league executive.

Bob Tairi is lying at Maungatautiri marae with the funeral services likely to be held on Monday.