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The government has said that 'targeted support for Māori and Pasifika aspirations’ is a priority for Budget 2019, however, only $135m has been allocated - the lowest budget allocation for the year ahead of the five priority areas and of this, a mere $20m is targeted at Pasifika communities in New Zealand. |
“It is very disappointing to see only $20m out of a Well-Being purse of $3.8bn this year go to the most disadvantaged in New Zealand,” says John Fiso, Chair of Pacific Health Plus.
“Pacific people have the worst health stats, the worst housing and the lowest median wealth at $12, 000 per person, of any ethnic group in New Zealand.
“The Well-Being Budget was an opportunity for a desperately needed game changer, but this has not happened,” says Mr Fiso.
• Only one initiative supporting Pasifika aspirations has been highlighted in the overview of the 'Budget at a Glance' Treasury document - helping 2, 200 out of a population of 300, 000 into employment
• The government’s media release ‘celebrating’ support for Maori and Pasifika focuses on languages, not Well-Being, and gives $11m over four years to one organisation to develop a nationwide and lasting Pacific economy
• A miniscule $630, 000 has been given this year to help Pacific Islanders sustain home ownership over time - that’s equivalent to one Kiwibuild home - against a backdrop of the lowest home ownership rates in New Zealand
“The devil is always in the detail and we need robust discussion when initiatives are rolled out which appear positive but are actually a disproportionate and inequitable allocation of resources,” says Mr Fiso.
“As a matter of urgency, we need to improve transparency, management and oversight of programmes focused on Pasifika with commitment to quickly meeting the very basic needs for every family in a sustainable way.
“This must also include sharing information about the truth with communities who are most impacted and equip them to change it.
“Better informed Pasifika communities will lead to transparency and accountability,” concludes Mr Fiso.
Mr Fiso does point out positive developments in regard to modest budget allocations for training more Pacific midwives and nurses, preventing rheumatic fever in Auckland, developing Pacific models of health care and developing Pacific leaders in the public sector to contribute to economic strategy and direction.
Notes
Priority areas summary of expenditure for 2019/2020
Taking mental health seriously $267m
Improving child wellbeing $552m
Supporting Māori and Pasifika aspirations $135m
Building a productive nation $369m
Transforming the economy $489m
Investing in New Zealand $1,489m
Details of the Pasifika 2019 Budget allocation can be found on page 46 and page 50 of the Summary of Initiatives in Budget 2019
https://treasury.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2019-05/b19-sum-initiatives.pdf
Useful statistics
• The median wealth of $12,000 for Pasifika people remains the lowest of any ethnic group, twelve times lower than European and four times lower than Māori (StatsNZ 2016)
• Hospitalisation rates for Pacific people are about double that of the general population; the proportion of Pacific people with diabetes is twice that of everyone else - and that rate is rising; Pacific people are eight times more likely to be admitted to hospital with rheumatic fever than the rest of New Zealand (www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/ala-moui-health-care-utilisation-dec18.pdf)
• Almost half of all Pasifika preschoolers in New Zealand live in crowded housing and have the highest rate of rheumatic fever
• Pacific children have an increasing rate of obesity directly linked to deprivation
• The Pacific population are the fastest growing group of young in New Zealand (http://www.mpp.govt.nz/library/policy-publications/contemporary-report/)
About John Fiso
Managing Director/Chairman Fiso Group, Former CEO and Founder New Zealand Institute of Sport, Current Board Member Pacific Corporation Foundation
John has had extensive governance and management experience in education, health and economic development sectors. He has served as Chairman of the Independent Tertiary Education Providers of NZ (ITENZ) and on the boards of the Pacific Co-operation Foundation, Ako Aotearoa, Volleyball NZ and the Pacific Business Trust. He was awarded the NZ Order of Merit for services to sport, education and the Pasifika community. He was named Wellingtonian of the Year for services to education in 2016. John was also recognised by the Tagata Pasifika with the ‘People’s Choice’ award for contributions to education and the inaugural winner of the ANZ Pacific Business Awards. As the first Pacific Otago University Physical Education graduate he went on to teach at Mana College in Porirua in Physical Education and Health introducing a range of innovative programmes. John then founded the NZ Institute of Sport a three tier education institute with both foundation, vocational and graduate programmes with strong national and international links. With beginnings in Porirua with 18 students in Porirua the NZ Institute of Sport This grew to over 1000 students annual with multiple sites across the country.
Pacific Health Plus
Pacific Health Plus is a primary healthcare service in Cannons Creek, Porirua, and is the only Pacific owned and governed healthcare service for Pacific people in the Wellington region. It services over 2000 people in the Cannons Creek community.
Pacific Health Plus was established as a subsidiary of the Fiso Investment Group in January 2019. It was formerly known as Porirua Health Services (PHS) which had been operating for 10 years but during 2018 came under severe financial pressure. As a result, the Board of PHS embarked on a formal bid process to identify new owners. This was conducted by legal firm Gibson Sheat and accountancy BDO Spicers with five bids submitted. The Fiso Investment Group was notified as the successful bidder in December 2018 and the new entity, Pacific Health Plus (PHP), was set up. Pacific Health Plus is a primary care provider to 2000 local residents who are mainly of Pacific descent. Further information can be found here:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1811/S00664/fiso-investment-group-set-to-rescue-pacific-health-services.htm
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1811/S00077/fiso-group-ltd-preferred-bidder-for-pacific-health-services.htm
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