Whānau Ora Minister Tama Potaka. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The four new agencies that will commission Whānau Ora services from the first of July have been named, following a contract shakeup signalled last month.
The Whānau Ora Minister Tama Potaka said the chosen agencies will expand the reach of Whānau Ora, and the change is about "moving in an elevated and refreshed direction".
Whānau Ora was created in 2010 by the late Dame Tariana Turia in an effort to improve social and health services for Māori.
In a major overhaul of the system, the three 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) in early March their long-held contracts would not be renewed.
Up to 1000 jobs could be affected.
Te Puni Kōkiri opened the contracts up to other providers, the first time it has done so since Whānau Ora started in 2010.
The contracts enabled it to administer Whānau Ora funding to local providers across the country, and all three incumbent agencies have held the contracts since 2014.
Previously, North Island commissioning agency chair Merepeka Raukawa-Tait told RNZ it was strange Te Puni Kōkiri would open the contracts up to other agencies given the current agencies' 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."
Despite the change in direction, Potaka said it wasn't a "shakeup".
"It's pretty standard practice for government to conduct and undertake procurement processes after five years," he said, but it has been a "ten year stint".
"Te Puni Kōkiri has now undertaken a procurement process to see who is suitable to not only continue the good mahi but also move in an improved and elevated direction."
The new agencies are:
- North Island, Taupō and above: National Hauora Coalition, Te Tiratū and Ngaa Pou Hauora o Taamaki Makaurau Consortium operating as Rangitāmiro
- North Island, south of Taupō and east to Bay of Plenty and the East Coast: Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira
- South Island: Te Tauraki Limited, a subsidiary of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
- Pasifika families across Aotearoa: The Cause Collective, operating as The Tātou Collective, which will commission Whānau Ora services for Pasifika families across Aotearoa.
Potaka said Te Puni Kōkiri selected these agencies to deliver on the government's focus to provide better public services.
For example, Potaka said the agencies would have "better data engagement aligned with social investment" and "a greater number of navigators", and "introduce greater participation from local communities in decision-making".
As for the potential job losses, Potaka said he did not know the specific details but he expected many of the providers that were engaged with the incumbent commissioning agencies would continue under the new commissioning arrangements.
Potaka also welcomed the Court of Appeal decision - Te Pou Matakana Limited v Secretary for Māori Development and others 2025 - which "cleared the way for this progress".
"The case unsuccessfully challenged aspects of the procurement process - it wasted time and created uncertainty for whānau and service providers."
Potaka said the coalition "backs Whānau Ora", as seen by the commitment in last year's Budget - "$180 million".
"But we are moving in a refreshed direction."
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