An independent report into the Māori Health Authority clearly shows the failures of more bureaucracy, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.

“There was a reason the Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall left the damning Māori Health Authority report sitting on her desk for months and silently released it late yesterday – it’s revealed failure from all corners of this third health entity.

“Since the creation of the Māori Health Authority over a year ago, the report found no overarching plan for activities, timeframes, resources, accountability or performance.

“Labour’s bureaucratic health restructure has cost taxpayers half a billion dollars, and for there to be no plans or details for a whole year on how to better improve Māori health is shocking. No other public service would be allowed to operate like this.

“A further revelation is that the Māori Health Authority was transferring staff from Health NZ because of their ethnicity, instead of staff with the necessary skills and expertise.  

“No one disputes that Māori health outcomes need to improve, but to take staff based on their ethnicity and not on the skills and talent they could bring to actually improve Māori health outcomes is quite simply appalling.

“Almost every page contains a damning indictment of flawed processes, faulty management and failure to deliver – and not one Māori health outcome has improved and further delays are predicted.  

“National will deliver health based on need first. We will dissolve the Māori Health Authority and have a strong Māori health directorate inside the Ministry of Health. More bureaucracy is not the answer to New Zealanders falling health outcomes. We need clear targets, to boost up the frontline and real leadership – that is what a National government will deliver.”