Winston may be right on this one
May 30th, 2012 at 3:00 pm by David FarrarClaire Trevett at NZ Herald reports:
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has mounted a further attack on the Whanau Ora programme, describing it as a ‘bro-ocracy’ and questioning a $60,000 grant to a rugby club.
Mr Peters said the $60,000 grant was to the Rahui Rugby and Sports Club, based in Otaki “to research the vaguely-termed ‘whanau connectedness’ and ‘resilience’ in the community.”
He said it was ridiculous the Government considered a small rural sports club an appropriate body to undertake economic and social research.
On the face of it, I have to agree with Peters. There may be factors we do not know about, but on the surface it looks quite inappropriate.
I do support the Whanua Ora programme. Empowering communities to help improve social outcomes is a good thing. But those administering the grants need to apply a high level of scrutiny to ensure any grants are going to bodies that realistically can make a difference.
He said Whanau Ora’s Whanau Innovation, Integration and Engagement Fund should be dismantled and the funding passed onto experienced Maori providers.
Again, I might partially agree. Not to dismantle the fund, but to favour those with experience and a proven track record at delivering.
May 30th, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Whanua Ora is racist. It takes tax money from everyone and gives it only to NZers bsed on their race.
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 3:14 pm
‘Rahui club president Rex Kerr said the research was carried out last year by Te Puni Kokiri into how the rugby club acted as a “hub” for the Maori community in the Otaki area. The project, which was completed during the Rugby World Cup, included funding a community club day, with Maori health services and advocacy groups available to offer advice and support.’
Vote:If a rugby club is acting as an effective community group to, provide useful social services, then funding it should be no problem.
May 30th, 2012 at 3:17 pm
A Stuff article sheds a bit of different light on it:
That sounds like he’s guessing at expertise deficiencies.
Rahui club president Rex Kerr said the research was carried out last year by Te Puni Kokiri into how the rugby club acted as a “hub” for the Maori community in the Otaki area.
The project, which was completed during the Rugby World Cup, included funding a community club day, with Maori health services and advocacy groups available to offer advice and support.
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
I read somewhere recently that Black Power or the Mob (one of those dropkick gangs) had received a wad of ‘Whanau Ora’ cash for a ‘reunion’…Will try to find the link….
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 3:26 pm
If this was for ‘research’ then there should be published results and as this was public money then the results should be public.
For those that support the granting of this money where is the link to the results? I’d like to see what my tax money was used for.
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 3:28 pm
Stuffed up the html in last post and forgot this link:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/7011511/Peters-Rugby-club-given-60-000-for-bro-ocracy
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Racism that stinks to the high heaven. The Maoricracy milking the system in the usual manner.
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 4:38 pm
I agree, this grant is pathetic and as much as I hate to admit it we need people like Winston who specialises in digging out this kind of stuff. (eww for saying that!)
Vote:John Key electioneered on cutting out this kind of wasteful spending from Labour and then does exactly the same (even worse, does it when finances are tight).
May 30th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Speaking of different rules for different folks – Maori immersion schools won’t have their teacher:student ratios cut.
Vote:If increased class sizes don’t make a difference (yeah right) then why does this not apply to Maori immersion schools?
May 30th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
..( cont )
“bawhahahahahahaha…”
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
Maori have a long cultural history of being ripped off by their leaders and the incrowd.
Vote:What they should sign into is a system where there is equality, protected by law and process.
But wait — didn’t they do that in 1840
It’s time for Maori to respect the treaty
May 30th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
I have some knowledge of how these events work.
Vote:You need between nothing at all and five hundred dollars to run something quite good.
What happened with the $60,000. I would like to see the list.
May 30th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Honkey Health fund.
How would that go down. It would work if a minority ethnic interest party held the balance of power.
And they could have a policy of free tobacco for every one (like the soldiers got in WW2) by 2025.
And demand funding for any persons descended from Royal Naval personnel as we owe our existence to those ancient jolly jack tars.
One law for all.
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 5:34 pm
Well I don’t. It is apartheid welfare.
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 6:00 pm
Any one can apply for funding after all to be maori all you have to do is identify as maori and the program is not exclusively targeted at maori anyway.
Vote:We should apply for a grant to bring together the whanau of nga kiwi blog as it would be beneficial for our diverse family to get together compare notes and work out a future direction of the tribe of nga kiwi blog(have a free piss up)surely this would meet the criteria of Whanau Innovation, Integration and Engagement. As our welfare spokesman Philu would be the ideal candidate for applying as he has the time and the credentials (scores mean ozs )to persuade the powers in control of this funding of the value in the proposed reunion.
May 30th, 2012 at 6:36 pm
It’s not racism it’s called MMP.
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 6:44 pm
For all the vitriol and loathing that politicians and others within the Ruling Class heap on Winston, New Zealanders actually need him. Who else has the balls to expose stupid expenditure like this?
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 7:05 pm
It’s only stupid to stupid people. Lots of them on here, anyway.
And it’s only racist to racist people. Ditto.
It’s a sound concept that should be applauded, but needs careful oversight, like all government programmes.
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 7:05 pm
More from Winston
http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8475735/more-ludicrous-welfare-grants-revealed
So far he’s found grants totalling about $12 million which he says have been handed out for “ludicrous” reasons.
“A family was given $4500 to `develop a strategy to promote who they are’ and strengthen connections to each other,” he said.
“Another family was handed $5000 to `take control of their lives’ and then there was $5000 so a family could create a plan that `weaves the strands of whanau together with a collective goal of reconnection’.”
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Before anyone accuses the Mr Peters of being inconsistent, be advised that different rules apply in the racing and fishing industries, and in soliciting political donations generally.
Vote:May 30th, 2012 at 7:33 pm
Five million spent last year on ”family reunions.”..I think the hairdresser guy with several salons in Wgtn was the first of these paid reunions Winston exposed. He is a lone voice but then he must be used to that..also as someone else said, regular schools to have class sizes cut , intermediates to be slashed ..Maori language schools to keep their small class sizes…Tariana looks furious whenever Winston says any of these things. She accuses him of Maori bashing.
Vote:We live in CHCh. We were driving out towards Halswell recently and my son said that previously he had seen a huge Maori guy getting into a 300 / 400 thousand dollar Mercedes outside Sealords. Why does anyone need to be driving such an expensive vehicle especially with CHCh roads in the state they are in?
It is separatism plain and simple. For the first time I am seriously thinking of moving to Aussie. Let us not forget that the money for Whanau Ora has been taken out of other budgets..i.e. less health care , less education for everyone else. I was told by an elderly woman recently that now only wealthy people can get into rest homes in CHCh.. Previously , they would take the pension and then the DHb would provide a subsidy..I knew the DHB were holding back on subsidies but she said they are not paying them. Someone may have more accurate info but it seems the outcome for the poor elderly in CHCh now is to die alone on the kitchen or bedroom floor..Two tiers are developing everywhere.
Even before Whanau ora , race based funding was happening. Southland and Taranki have similar populations but Taranki receives a lot more in health funding because of its Maori population. Anyone who has lived down south knows they have about eight months of winter per year. Along with Dunedin , they have serious problems with depression , psych admissions , etc in July..Do they get any extra health funding because of special health needs? With Canterbury , they lead the world in incidences of bowel cancer. Any extra funding???..No , Ryall cut the proposed funding for extra colonoscopies in Canterbury. When looking at all this Whanau Ora money it behoves one to look at all the cuts which is making this funding possible.
I feel that this will further drive a big wedge in our race relations. It has to cause resentment amongst the non Maori population.
Lately , it almost seems as if Labour and National are the same party..Key promised change before he was elected but all the race based policies have continued..If anything the race towards separatism has accelerated..The really sad thing about it is that ultimately it does more harm to the favoured race than it does to anyone else..laziness , corruption , stupidity , suicide..If you want to see where decades of separatism end up , just look at the hopeless Malays in Malaysia now topping themselves at an alarming rate proving soundly that yes you can have too much of a good thing.
May 30th, 2012 at 10:05 pm
“I do support the Whanua Ora programme. Empowering communities to help improve social outcomes is a good thing.
Geez, DPF. You operate a bloody good blog etc etc blah blah…. but you really are nothing but a softcock socialist at times. Really. I say that in a loving, inclusive and caring way.
Vote:May 31st, 2012 at 12:52 pm
I posted on corruption in NZ above in the Jones post. This is a classic example of how corruption works in NZ It works thru State agencies dolling out money for Nudge Nudge Wink Wink projects. Sure the applications and accountabilities say all the ‘right’things. They are full of bull shit language that a casual reader would say passes muster. But its what the money is actually spent on that involves the corruption. Carefully crafted ‘receipts and invoices all designed to cover up the corruption. And its institutionalised to the extent that many layers depend on keeping their jobs so they go along with it.
What Peters uncovers is merely the tip of a massive iceberg. The collusion is so broad and so deep and so ingrained it would be almost impossible to uncover it. All the participants have convinced themsleves its all OK.
Vote:June 1st, 2012 at 2:48 pm
Great post lastmanstanding.
Vote: