Maori Affairs ‘shake-up’

Press, 15 May 1987, Page 25

Maori Affairs ‘shake-up’

PA New Plymouth The ' Government’s shake-up of the Maori Affairs Department is under way, says the. Minister of Maori Affairs, Mr wetere. In an address to the annual conference of the Maori Women’s Welfare League, Mr Wetere said the radical updating of the department would put its resources closer to the Maori people. It was proposed to replace the department with a Ministry of Maori De- !‘ velopment. The department, in its new form, would still be a key Government organisation, he said. It would speed up Maori development, and provide the chance for other organisations to contribute to the development thrust Important problems facing Maori people arose in education, employment justice, housing, health, land, community development and cultural Identity, he said. “The department, as it is today, has not been able to look at these prob-

“It has not been allowed , to reorganise itself and no meet the changing needs and aspiration of our Maori economic deveiopsurvival lay in the policies economic forum. „ Better use was needed of available resources as well as a greater delegation of these resources to meet Maoridom’s needs, Mr Wetere said. Maori communities needed to take a more active rote in overcoming the problems facing them. Without regional support, the efforts of central Government were virtually useless, Mr Wetere said. •, .-A . stocktake .of tbe Maori situation today stiU S resented a gloomy pic- . ire. Maori communities could help overcome this by targeting resources, resolving local problems and by working closely with local development plans, Mr Wetere said.