Maori staff group formed

Press, 10 January 1987, Page 6

Maori staff group formed

PA Wellington Maori Affairs staff have formed a committee to ensure their interests, and those of the Maori community, are protected in the wake of the row about proposals to raise $6OO million overseas. The spokesman, Mr Robin Hapi, the Maori Affairs Department’s director of housing, said the committee of 12 was formed yesterday after a meeting involving 100 departmental staff and three from the State Services Commission. '• The meeting was called to ensure effective and efficient delivery of services to Maori people following the Maori loan issue, Mr Hapi said. Yesterday’s gathering

comes after a hui in Auckland this week at which Maori leaders aired fears about the future direction of the department Mr Hapi said Maori Affairs staff were uncertain about how an advisory panel set up by the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, and a State Services review of the department’s efficiency and effectiveness would be co-ordinated, and how much consultation there would be with the Maori community. The meeting was addressed by the acting Secretary for Maori Affairs, Mr Bruce Robinson, and the acting chairman of the State Services Commission, Mr D. K. Hunn. Mr Hapi would not name the members of the

co-ordinating committee. "We want to try to establish consultation as a bench mark for the reviews,” said Mr Hapi. Staff had requested that the S.S.C. make a public statement putting the reviews into perspective and outlining what would happen next. Mr Hapi said the meeting was told that there

were no immediate plans to dismember the department, but the possibility of some Maori Affairs functions being removed to other Government departments could not be ruled out. The S.S.C. would meet on January 20 to discuss these matters, Mr Hapi said.-