7 November 2024
Chris Matenga
[FYI request #24045 email]
Tēnā koe Chris
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00062529
Thank you for your email on 27 August 2024, asking Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora under
the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
I've requested any information you can provide regarding the progression of locality plans
under the Pae Ora Act, noting s55 requires consultation process in formation of them then
reporting progress in the annual plan. From your last response it seems there either was no
plan in place to progress a locality plan (as requested for Northland) or the absence of any
finished plan was used as a reason to not provide other official information that would
indicate a process in place.
I wish to repeat the request for any information such as a reports, briefs, memos or internal
communications which provide an accurate idea of how locality planning is progressing,
anticipated timeframes for release, copies of any internal drafts pre-release along with any
guidance that has been provided to Te Whatu ora such as from ministers or from Te Whatu
ora to localities/DHBs on the progression of said plans.
Aside from any continued process of the previous administration, I am particularly
interested in any new directives since the current government was formed and guidance
relating to consultation with Māori, how 'other entities' and 'appropriate groups' are being
decided by HNZ for inclusion and what approach it is taking to include Maori since the
removal of the need to consult the Maori health authority. This information is sought so our
communities of interest may know how to best advocate for our wellbeing outcomes not
necessarily in direct communication with a DHB or on national Maori health kaupapa etc.
We apologise for the delay in responding to you. Please find a response to each of your questions
below.
Response
Health NZ has not received formal “locality plans” from the 12 locality prototypes, nor was there
endorsement of any such plans at the time of the Minister’s 27 February 2024 announcement
pausing the localities work.
The 12 locality prototypes undertook to collate “local health and wellbeing priorities” following
engagement with their communities. The locality prototypes authored and own these health and
wellbeing priority documents.
Throughout the second half of 2023, the locality prototypes presented to Health NZ on the work
underway on identifying their local health and wellbeing priorities, but we did not receive copies of
this preliminary work. At that point, the next step was to share and validate these priorities within
their communities.
The draft plans were being worked on by the locality prototypes at the time the localities work was
paused. Three (including Taikarohi, which you enquired about in your initial request) had published
their respective plans of their own accord, which are listed here (with the reports electronically
linked):
Hokonui
Taikorihi
Te Tara o Te Whai.
For the status of the various plans under development by the other nine locality prototypes, each
would need to be individually contacted about this (noting not all have active websites). For your
reference, these are: Le Afio’aga o Aotearoa, He Ara Whakapikiora, Toitu Tairawhiti, Toi Rawhiti,
Tihei Wairoa, Horowhenua Takiwa, Te Hononga, Te Wahi Tiaki Tatou, and Takiwa Poutini.
Noting the general nature of this request, but that your initial two questions above relate to the
localities programme, Health NZ has interpreted the last part of your request to be referring to
‘other entities’ and ‘appropriate groups’ as those identified in for consultation in locality plans under
sections 55(3)(c) and 55(3)(e) of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 (Pae Ora Act).
In response, I can confirm Health NZ has not received any directives or guidance relating to
consultation with Māori since 27 November 2023, on how “other entities” and “appropriate groups”
are decided by HNZ for inclusion in locality planning. Health NZ’s approach to consultation with
Māori is provided for through existing and developing Treaty Settlement commitments, and under
the Pae Ora Act to:
Support and engage with iwi Māori partnership boards (section 15), and
Engage with and report to Māori (section 16A).
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, Health NZ may proactively
release a copy of this response on our website. All requester data, including your name and
contact details, will be removed prior to release.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Danielle Coe
Manager (OIA) Government Services
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
Health NZ, PO Box 793,
Wellington 6140, New Zealand
