Transfer of Maori welfare delayed

Press, 19 February 1988, Page 6

Transfer of Maori welfare delayed

Political reporter

Plans to transfer Maori social welfare matters to Maori agencies have been delayed by the Government.

The principle of devolution is still supported by the Government, but the Cabinet wants to consider such matters as accountability, legislative implications, objectives and structures before going further, the Secretary for Maori Affairs, Dr Tamati Reedy, has said in a letter to district offices of the department. To make progress on those issues, Dr Reedy said, an officials’ commit-

tee had been set up comprising the chairman of the State Services Commission, the Secretary to the Treasury, the director of the Prime Minister’s Department, and himself.

This officials’ committee was required to report to the Cabinet committee on social equity by the end of February. “In the meantime,” Dr Reedy said, “Ministers have instructed the Department of Maori Affairs that no further action is to be taken on the devolution of additional functions.”

In order to comply with this instruction, he told

his district offices to ensure that they undertook no new initiatives on devolution until further instruction. This was confirmed in a letter from the State Services Commission to the Public Service Association on January 29. It said that because there was still considerable doubt about the scope and timing of devolution the Government had deferred consideration of the second payment (as part of the agreement to retain staff in the department until devolution occurred) until later this year. This led a former Mana

job training scheme coordinator, Mr Ross Himona, to say, “I weep for Maoridom.” He said the Minister of Justice, Mr Palmer, believed that the tribal structure was not representative of Maoridom.

“Does anyone now really believe that they (the Government) will preserve the tribal initiative?” Mr Himona said.

“Does anyone really believe that they will allow us true Maori representation?”

He said the officials’ committee would recommend to the Government a regional rather than tribal delivery system.