The Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill passed its first reading in Parliament and a special Select Committee has been set up to consider the Bill and hear public submissions, Health Minister Andrew Little says.

“We are fixing a public health system that has, for far too long, failed Māori and many others who have been left out.

“This Government is committed to building a new health system that provides better national coordination and more consistent support, so all New Zealanders can get the health care they need no matter who they are or where they live,” Andrew Little said.

“The special Select Committee will ensure we draw on a wide range of strengths, knowledge and perspectives when it comes to the next stages of the health reforms.”

The Pae Ora Healthy Futures Bill replaces the 20 District Health Boards with Health New Zealand - a new Crown organisation - to provide a national health service with a strong focus on primary health care. It also establishes an independent Māori Health Authority to work in partnership with Health New Zealand.

“The Māori Health Authority is about transforming Māori health outcomes which will be a game changer for our people,” Associate Health Minister (Māori Health) Peeni Henare said.

“This is our chance to address the disproportionate health inequities that have significantly affected our Māori communities. When we put people at the centre of the healthcare experience it is more likely that people including Māori will reach out when they need to - this could save more lives.”

The Bill recognises the role of Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards for the first time and also establishes a hauora Maori advisory group to advise the Minister of Health on exercising powers in relation to the Maori Health Authority.

It also establishes an expanded Public Health Agency within the Ministry of Health to lead public health strategy, as well as an expert advisory committee on public health.

The Ministry of Health will continue to act as the health system’s chief steward, providing policy advice to the Government and regulating and monitoring the way the health system works.

“The bill will now go to a special Select Committee and all New Zealanders will have a chance to have their say about what they want our future health system to look like,” Andrew Little said.

“To be successful we need to change how we do things throughout the system – more detail of how the new system will operate day-to-day will follow on from the Bill.”

The Bill is expected to be passed next year, and will come into effect on July 1, 2022.

Ka tutuki te pānuitanga tuatahi o te Pire Pae Ora

“Kua tutuki te pānuitanga tuatahi mō Te Pire Pae Ora ki te Whare Pāremata, ā, kua whakatūria he Komiti Whiriwhiri motuhake ki te whiriwhiri i ngā take e pā ana ki te pire me ngā tāpaetanga kōrero tūmatanui,” te kōrero a te Minita mō ngā Take Hauora, a Andrew Little.

“E whakatikatika ana mātou i tētahi pūnaha hauora tūmatanui kua roa rawa e tūkino nei i te iwi Māori me ētahi atu kua whakarērea ki waho.”

“E ngākaunui ana tēnei Kāwanatanga ki te hanga i tētahi pūnaha hauora hou kia pai ake ai ngā mahi ngātahi ā-motu me ngā mahi tuku tautoko kia whai hauora ai a Aotearoa whānui, ahakoa ko wai, ahakoa nō hea,” te kōrero a Andrew Little.

“Ka whānui tonu ngā pūkenga, ngā mātauranga me ngā tirohanga ka tōia mai ki te Komiti Whiriwhiri motuhake mō te āhua ki ngā kaupapa e whai nei e pā ana ki ngā tapitanga ture hauora.”

Ko tā Te Pire Pae Ora he whakakapi i a Hauora Aoteroa – he hinonga Karauna hou – i ngā Poari Hauora ā-Rohe 20 te nui kia aro pū ake ai ki ngā kaupapa tuku hauora matua. E whakapūmau ana hoki te pire i tētahi Mana Hauora Māori motuhake kia mahi kōtui me Hauora Aotearoa.

“Ko te kaupapa a Te Mana Hauora Māori he panoni i ngā putanga hauora Māori – he āhuatanga whakahirahira tēnei mō te iwi,” te kōrero a te Minita Tuarua mō ngā Take Hauora, a Peeni Henare.

“Koinei tētahi ara hei whai mā tātou ki te whakaara ake i ngā pāhikahika mō ngā take hauora e tautika-kore nei, inā rā, e tūkino nui nei i ngā hapori Māori. Mēnā ka noho ko te iwi te whakamatuatanga o ngā mahi tautiaki hauora, tēnā nei tātou ka kite i te toronga mai o ngā ringa o te hunga e tika ana, tae atu hoki ki a ngāi Māori – ka ora noa atu tātou i tēnei.”

Ka aro te pire ki ngā mahi a ngā Poari Kōtui ā-Iwi/Māori mō te wā tuatahi, ā, ka whakapūmautia he rōpū hauora Māori hei tuku tohutohu ki te Minita mō ngā Take Hauora mō te whakatinanatanga o ngā mana a Te Mana Hauora Māori.

Ka whakapūmau hoki te pire i tētahi Tari Hauora Tūmatanui ki roto i te Manatū Hauora hei arataki i ētahi rautaki hauora tūmatanui, tae atu ki tētahi komiti mātanga kaitohutohu mō ngā take hauora tūmatanui.

Ka haere tonu ngā mahi a te Manatū Hauora ki te tiaki i ngā kawenga a te pūnaha hauora, te tuku tohutohu kaupapa here ki te Kāwanatanga, ā, he whakarite, he aroturuki hoki i ngā tūmahi a te pūnaha hauora.

“Ināianei, ka tukuna te pire ki te Komiti Whiriwhiri motuhake kia whai wāhi ai a Aotearoa whānui ki te tuku kōrero mai mō ā rātou hiahia me ā rātou tirohanga ki te pūnaha hauora hei ngā rā ki tua,” te kōrero a Andrew Little.

“E angitū ai tātou, me rerekē tā tātou kawe i ā tātou mahi puta noa i te pūnaha – ka whai mai ngā pitopito kōrero mō te pūnaha hou me āna whakahaerenga o ia rā, o ia rā, i te whakamanatanga o te pire.”

Tōna tikanga, ka tutuki te pire hei te tau e tū mai nei, arā, ka whai mana hei te 1 o Hūrae, 2022.

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