Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Blocks and breaches remain in Ministry of Health response

Lady Tureiti Moxon. Photo / Supplied

OPINION:

The tsunami is coming thanks to the border in Tāmaki Makaurau opening up in a week.

The seriousness and urgency of the Delta threat for our people elevates the principles of Te Tiriti even more to ensure tangata whenua have the wherewithal to actively protect their own.

This pandemic is testing us individually, organisationally and collectively. It’s testing system capacity, capability, and most of all the legal responsibilities of the Crown to tangata whenua.

But this week in the Waitangi Tribunal it felt like groundhog day.

Why? Because here we are saying the same things despite two High Court wins by our affiliate Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency (WOCA) which successfully challenged the Crown to release Māori data.

The significant 39-page judgment by Justice Gwyn revealed more bureaucratic blocking and breaches from a Te Tiriti perspective.

The application sought data on unvaccinated Māori to allow WOCA to reach and support them without delay. To prevent uncharted fishing expeditions, time lag and wastage of resources.

The application said it was fair and reasonable for WOCA to have this information. The Court agreed – twice.

In fact, the decision said the Ministry of Health “erred in its interpretation and application” of the privacy legislation.

The Court gave the ministry three days to “retake” its decision and reminded the ministry of its obligations that “must be exercised in accordance with Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi and its principles”.

The ministry took the decision again. Again, it refused to provide the information to WOCA, to the detriment of thousands of whānau. Now some data has been released after an expensive fight by Māori for justice.

Let’s remember that Whānau Ora is a government-funded, Māori-delivered, whānau-centred approach to supporting whānau wellbeing and development.

Whānau Ora is regularly audited and endorsed by the Productivity Commission and the Whānau Ora Minister himself for effectiveness in the community.

Its network of 96 Whānau Ora partner providers across Te Ika-a-Māui/North Island, operates 200 Covid-19 fixed and mobile vaccination sites which have delivered over 500,000 Covid-19 vaccinations across the network to date.

This week we had to do it all again in the Waitangi Tribunal. This time we also revealed the stark inequitable contrast between funding allocations for business by the Government versus Māori health.

Our evidence showed that the business sector every fortnight receives $1 billion versus the one-off $120 million allocated for Māori vaccination.

Most of this fund went to private health corporations – not to Māori providers battling Covid on the frontline who need it most.

Māori need the autonomy to determine the right response for themselves as they have the right to choose what path worked best for them.

So now we await the report under urgency and remain vigilant and committed to the kaupapa so continue to mobilise.

We tautoko all those working together with kaimahi on the ground making it easy and expedient for whānau to access vaccinations delivered our way with manaaki by those that they trust implicitly.

Lady Tureiti Moxon is a Māori health leader and campaigner and a member of the new Māori Health Authority