brownwash or empowerment - whanau ora

Is this a genuine attempt to empower maori or is it brownwash to help hide the neocon privatisation objectives of national? Whatever the answer - maori will find out.

from Stuff

"Prime Minister Key has appointed Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia as Minister Responsible for Whanau Ora."

I wonder who will get Minister of Foreshore and Seabed?

"... a new Whanau Ora trust would draw on money currently spent through the Government's housing, health, education, justice and social welfare agencies and report to a dedicated minister."

This will be closely scruitinised so I cannot see any bullshit going on. Both the left and the right want this to fail, or work, for the wrong reasons - it is only maori who want it to work for the right reasons.

"Whanau Ora Governance Group will oversee the roll-out and progress of the policy. The group is: Rob Cooper (chair) who is chief executive of the Ngati Hine Health Trust, a Maori-owned provider of social services in Northland; Professor Sir Mason Durie, who chaired the Whanau Ora Taskforce; Nancy Tuaine of Te Atihaunui a Paparangi (Whanganui) who is the manager of the Whanganui River Trust Board and a member of the Whanganui District Health Board; Leith Comer, chief executive of Te Puni Kokiri; Peter Hughes, chief executive of the Social Development Ministry and Stephen McKernan, the director-general of Health.

Is this bunch all 'yes' men and women?

"Mr Key has said the May 20 Budget will include money for the whanau ora policy, but that the Government has not accepted all the report's findings."

Trust key? Only if you want to lose your hand.

I am keeping an open mind on this one and will be watching carefully. But i really hope it works and that maori are better off because of this program - shit could they be worse off?