- Hon Tama Potaka
New Zealanders will soon benefit from strengthened Whānau Ora support services with a renewed focus on those in greatest need, Whānau Ora Minister Tama Potaka says.
Four new Whānau Ora commissioning agencies - Rangitāmiro, Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, Te Tauraki (a subsidiary of Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu), and the Cause Collective (operating as The Tātou Collective) - will begin commissioning services from providers starting 1 July.
Mr Potaka attended the launch event for Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira's Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency at Hongoeka Marae in Plimmerton this morning.
"Today, we acknowledge and celebrate the success of Whānau Ora and the great legacy of the late Kahurangi (Dame) Tariana Turia, which will be carried forward by the new commissioning agencies from tomorrow.
"Since National helped launch Whānau Ora in 2010, the model has become a trusted foundation for whanau-centred services. It's now time to further strengthen that foundation with a focused plan to better meet whānau needs as well as a more robust data framework to support ongoing improvement.
"National backed a bright future for Whānau Ora in last year's Budget by providing a $179 million investment for this 2025/26 year and out years. Starting tomorrow, funding for the four new commissioning agencies will be clearly allocated to regions of greatest need based on the Census 2023 Deprivation Index.
"These Iwi and agencies know the needs of their communities and are eager to get started supporting whānau aspirations. They are committed to:
- Expanding the reach of Whānau Ora to engage with more whānau most in need;
- Strengthening the evidence that Whānau Ora delivers for whānau;
- Introducing a data driven approach to strategic and investment planning, with Investment Boards to better ensure input from local communities drives investment decisions;
- Having improved transparency for the use of public funding for delivery outcomes;
- Developing and investing in the navigator workforce to develop the capability and retention of navigator kaimahi working with whānau; and
- Increasing capacity for identifying whānau in high-risk situations, and the ability to support whānau through these times.
"All four commissioning agencies have networks in place to ensure service providers and navigators - local kaimahi employed to work with whānau to identify services and support required to meet their goals, are delivering services on the ground.
"We know Whānau Ora services can have long-term, life-changing impacts. More consistent data collection will allow us to better measure these impacts and in time provide the foundation for greater, more targeted and evidence-based investment.
"As a part of our changes, anonymous Whānau Ora data will be further linked to the Stats NZ Integrated Data Infrastructure database, providing key information on the benefits of Whānau Ora.
"This is consistent with the Government's broader social investment approach, delivering better outcomes for all New Zealanders."
Overview of each incoming Commissioning Agency:
- National Hauora Coalition, Te Tiratū and Ngaa Pou Hauora o Taamaki Makaurau Consortium operating as Rangitāmiro, which will commission Whānau Ora services in the North Island, down to Taupō (Region 1).
- Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, which will commission Whānau Ora services in the North Island, south of Taupō and east to Bay of Plenty and the East Coast (Region 2).
- Te Tauraki Limited, a subsidiary of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, which will commission Whānau Ora services in the South Island (Region 3).
- The Cause Collective, operating as The Tātou Collective, which will commission Whānau Ora services across Aotearoa focussed on delivery methodologies that can deliver for Pacific peoples (Region 4).
