Unravelling the whāriki of Crown Māori health infrastructure
Heather Came, Keith Tudor
The Ministry of Health consistently acknowledges their special relationship with M1ori, and the strategic importance of strengthening M1ori health is critical to addressing health inequities. This paper, framed in terms of the Crown Treaty of Waitangi principles, ie, participation, protection and partnership, examines three decisions that threaten to unravel Crown M1ori health policy infrastructure. These include the disestablishment of the Ministry of Healths policy team, Te Kete Hauora, revoking mandatory district health boards (DHB) M1ori health plans and reporting, and downscaling the requirements of DHBs to consult. These actions appear to breach te Tiriti o Waitangi and may be cited as such in the forthcoming WAI 2575 health hearing before the Waitangi Tribunal. The authors call for the Ministry of Health to embrace its Treaty obligations.