Hon Peter Dunne
Associate Minister of Health

Dunne: NGOs need greater role in health, disabilities decision-making

A health and disabilities NGO sector that has developed over the years from “well meaning” to “highly competent and professional” should have a greater role in decision-making on priorities, Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne said today.

Addressing the Health and Disability Sector NGO-Health Ministry Forum in Wellington, Mr Dunne said the NGO (non-government organisation) sector was now “highly skilled, motivated, organised and professional to an extent – and I say this respectfully – that has not always been the case”.

This “changed dynamic” should be increasingly reflected in a more equal partnership with government in determining priorities within the health and disabilities sector.

“It is a matter of how can we integrate the two – government and NGOs – without compromising independence,” he said.

This approach was entirely consistent with the approach advocated by whanau ora, Mr Dunne said.

He said that such a model would be fundamentally based on “funding following priorities, rather than the other way around as it all too often occurs”.

He cited the recent national response to the Canterbury earthquake, involving both the Government and NGOs.

“Everyone has essentially just pitched in – NGOs and the Government. Boundaries ceased to exist; it has simply been a matter of who has been best placed to do the job.

“If we can do that in responding to an emergency, there is no good reason why we cannot take that approach to our daily, normal pattern of working on important areas such as providing services for the health and disability sector,” Mr Dunne said.

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