Co-leaders of Te Pāti Māori, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi are today calling out Labour’s budget announcement as another bunch of crumbs for Māori.

“Today’s announcement is significantly below what was expected for Māori,” said Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“Māori will receive less than a percent of a total Government Budget of $157.5 billion dollars on whenua that was 100% ours. It just does not go far enough.

“Today was an opportunity for this Government to put their money where their mouth is and to learn off the success of Māori providers through Covid-19 when it came to protecting our whakapapa. The Government have not learnt off this success and have decided to withhold our unique Māori potential.”

“There is no doubt about the growing inequalities between Māori and Pākehā, and between the rich and the poor in Aotearoa. We were looking for steps in shifting the tax burden to the wealthy, introducing a capital gains tax, a vacant homes tax, and removing GST for kai. These are practical solutions for all whānau,” said Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“Whilst two months further relief at the pump is welcomed, this is no solution to curbing the rising costs to live in Aotearoa.”

“Māori Health will receive $257-million in pocket money out of a total $11.1-billion investment into health over four years. In total, we’re looking at 2% budget toward Māori health in which it’s taken 182-years to reach this level of investment,” said Waititi.

“Based on that logic, it will take 1840 years to get to 20%. Our whānau suffer from worse outcomes, we’re dying 7-10 years earlier than the general population. It’s astounding to think the Government think this is suffice,” said the MP for Waiariki.

“There are some things that can be acknowledged including the boost to Whānau Ora and Te Matatini.”

“Whānau Ora however will get a boost of 145-million dollars which is positive and reflects the outstanding mahi by the Whānau Ora network. Te Pāti Māori congratulate Whānau Ora providers up and down the motu for their contributions to the oranga of our whānau.

“Te Matatini will also get 1M investment raising their budget to 2.9M in total. Whilst this is great it still falls short of our policy platform which would boost this to 19M. They are subject to huge scrutiny, and are required to meet certain metrics such as 1-million viewers. There is room for further investment.”

“It is the role of Te Pāti Māori in Parliament, whether on the cross benches, in opposition or in government, to fight to ensure that every budget that is put delivered in this House is a budget that restores power and resources to whānau, hapū and iwi,” said Ngarewa-Packer.

“We will continue to apply pressure, to keep the government accountable, to end disparity, poverty and environmental destruction.”

“We acknowledge the Government for making progress in a few areas, and we are grateful that they have adopted more of our policies. It is however, not a budget that delivers for Māori or honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the way we deserve,” said Waititi

“We are here to be an unapologetic voice for tangata whenua, for our aspirations, our visions, our imperatives, and our dreams,” said Waititi.

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