Raced-Based Health: NZ Government Moves to Abolish Maori Health Authority

Maori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi speaks to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon during the State Opening of Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand on Dec. 6, 2023. Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

New Zealand government coalition’s ACT party has issued notice to abolish a separate health authority that was set up to meet the health needs of indigenous people.

In the lead-up to the 2023 general election ACT campaigned to get rid of the Authority, with party leader David Seymour saying: “The Māori Health Authority experiment has been disastrous, and that’s why we will end it.”

“The Māori Health Authority has sacked half its board, failed to hire critical skills because it’s too focused on hiring based on race, wasted half a billion dollars, failed to deliver better healthcare, and created resentment and division among New Zealanders,” he added.

The authority was set up to enable Māori people to have greater control of their health outcomes and prioritisation of services.

The welfare of Māori has long been in the spotlight in New Zealand after numerous studies determined Māori were disproportionately affected by adverse health, with statistics from Health NZ Te Whatu Ora revealing they were four times as likely to die from cardiovascular disease compared to other people.

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes, asthma, arthritis, and cancer is also higher in Māori communities, and children have a mortality rate 1.5 times that of those of European descent.

The repeal of the authority aligns with recent changes made to the smoke-free legislation which led to the resignation of prominent Pasifika Health leader Sir Collin Tukuitonga in December.

“I really don’t want to work for this government. I have no confidence. They are not going to treat Pacific people well and I want to be free to speak up and speak out,” Dr. Tukuitonga told RNZ.

ACT Party leader of ACT New Zealand David Seymour campaigned on removing the Maori Health Authority. Mark Mitchell - Pool/Getty Images

Commenting in a release on the plan to rescind the authority, ACT Health spokesperson Todd Stephenson said: “The imminent abolition of the Māori Health Authority will bring the health system closer to ACT’s ideal of services delivered based on New Zealanders’ needs, not racial identity.”

“The Māori Health Authority experiment has been [a] disastrous waste of half a billion dollars. It failed to hire for critical skills because it was too focused on hiring based on race, it sacked half its board, and above all it created resentment and division among New Zealanders.”

Mr. Stephenson added his party was against the prioritisation of Māori on waiting lists ahead of those who may need immediate attention for health issues.

“Elevating race above factors like age, income group, geographic location, and personal medical history inevitably detracts from the principle of needs-based public healthcare, meaning someone, somewhere, in desperate need misses out,” he said.

“The emphasis should be fitting services to every individual, from every background. Our population is more diverse than just Māori and non-Māori.”

In terms of a timeline for the withdrawal of the authority, Mr. Stephenson said he expected legislation to be introduced later in 2024. The initiative has been included in the government’s 100-day plan that aims to expedite 49 policy actions.

In December, Prime Minister Chris Luxon said, “Our 100-day plan is focused on rebuilding the economy, easing the cost of living, restoring law and order, and delivering better public service.”