Whānau Ora Commissioning agency chair Merepeka Raukawa-Tait. Photo: Supplied
The chair of the Whānau Ora Commissioning agency says changing commissioning bodies could jeopardise a decade of relationship building.
Last Friday, the three of the original Whānau Ora commissioning agencies - the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu and Pasifika Futures - were informed by Te Puni Kōkiri (TPK) their long-held contracts would not be renewed.
The contracts enabled them to administer Whānau Ora funding to local providers across the country, and all three have held the contracts since 2014.
But, in major overhaul of the system, RNZ understands at least five organisations have been identified as preferred candidates to take over the contracts including Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and South Auckland-based The Cause Collective - covering commissioning for four regions across the country.
It comes after Te Puni Kōkiri opened the contracts up to other providers, the first time they have done so since Whānau Ora started in 2010.
Speaking to RNZ, North Island commissioning agency chair Merepeka Raukawa-Tait said it was strange Te Puni Kōkiri would open the contracts up to other agencies given the current agency's good track record.
"I have to say that - and it's a word that I don't normally use - but I will say that I was gutted when I heard, when we heard that we were not successful in the tendering round. We got through to the first cut and like everybody else, we were surprised when we were asked when it went out to tender."
"We were surprised... after 14 years of being very, very successful we thought, well, if that's what the government wants to do, then we will certainly put in alongside of anybody else who might choose the tender for the Whānau Ora contract."
Raukawa-Tait said they had so far only received verbal confirmation their contracts would not be renewed and were not exactly sure why they were no longer preferred candidates.
"It has only been a few days since we've actually received a verbal notice that the Whānau Ora contract, that we have with TPK, will end at the end of June. We haven't received written confirmation yet... we do not know why we have not been successful. "
"Everybody is second guessing. I know the concern in the community... the big question is why we weren't successful. Unfortunately, when no reason has been given, everybody starts to second guess, and I don't think that is helpful."
Raukawa-Tait claimed government departments might have felt "jealous" of Māori-led success.
"What we have seen in the past is when Māori solutions to significant issues and problems they have in their communities are developed to address these, and they are successful, the government seems to either resent it or be somewhat jealous of the success."
"I suspect that that's what we're seeing because we are successful and have been successful for over a decade that probably has not worked in our favour."
Raukawa-Tait said sweeping edicts put out by government departments were often not tailored to the particular needs of a small communities, like health screenings.
"Screening might not be the priority for a community where domestic violence and addiction and the use of drugs is running rampant.
"It is the communities themselves that have informed us about the services that need to be provided, by the right providers, and funded adequately to be successful."
Ultimately, it was the on-the-ground provider who do the "day-to-day, hardcore, frontline mahi", Raukawa-Tait said.
"They have walked that journey for the last 10 years. They have put the effort in, tested the various systems, provided the data, spoken to the families. If they are going to be talking to anybody else, they don't want to have to go through that process again. They want to be respected for the knowledge that they bring, but they will also - I believe - be very particular about who they will share the knowledge with.
"Otherwise, they're going to be again - for the next 10 years - having to build up again a relationship with a new provider with a new entity such as the new commissioning agency, whoever that might be," Raukawa-Tait said.
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