Chronology for 1990-current
Kei hea te rito? Bi-culturalising welfare
Multiple waves of welfare reform occur throughout this period in line with changing government leaders and governments. Between November 1990 and 1999 the National Government welfare reforms were made under Ruth Richardson. Economic and Social Initiative (ESI) outlines proposed social and employment policy changes ‘(Jim Bolger, Ruth Richardson and Bill Birch were the authors)’. This led to the Employment Contracts Act 1991, and eligibility and benefit cuts to increase work incentives, work testing and means testing family benefit via new ‘Family Support’ payments.[i] go to footnote
‘Māori welfare dependency rose while incomes decreased to such an extent that in 1990 the average income of Māori households languished at about 20 percent below the average income for New Zealand households as a whole’.[ii] go to footnote The rate of Māori unemployment continued to climb, reaching 25.4 percent of the total Māori workforce in 1992.’[iii] go to footnote By the end of this period the wellbeing of Māori children remained a dominating issue. In July 2020, there were 4,179 tamariki Māori in state care, representing 69 percent of the total care population. By 31 December 2020, Māori comprised 75 percent of the children and young people currently in the Youth Justice custody of the chief executive. This compared to the nine percent in custody who identified as New Zealand European or other.[iv] go to footnote
Between 1999 and 2008 the Fifth Labour Government placed some emphasis on addressing inequalities and family development. A further round of benefit cuts and beneficiary obligations followed with the National Government 2011–2017. This National Government also focused on more targeted spending through adopting a Social Investment approach.
Iwi Māori sought greater control over their welfare. It was a period of growth of post-settlement agreements or accords, where largely settled iwi were engaged in long-term work with different government departments focusing on a range of cultural, social, economic and environmental outcomes for their people.
Chronology events
Displaying 41 - 50 of 81 events.
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Towards a Māori Statistics Framework presented at UN
The Towards a Māori Statistics Framework paper was presented to the 2006 UN Forum. Discussions at this UN Forum included Indigenous Peoples and Indicators of Wellbeing.[i]
Date: 2006 Period: 1990-current -
Māori-led approaches to family violence
In April 2008, at a national summit hosted by Tainui and opened by King Tuheitia and held at Hopuhopu marae, Māori leaders in attendance proposed new strengths-based and Māori-led approaches to Māori family violence, resulting in the E Tu Whānau initiative…
Date: 2008 Period: 1990-current -
‘Future Focus’ welfare reforms
The fifth National Government-led coalition embarked on an ambitious programme of welfare reform – the largest such programme since major cuts to welfare benefit rates in the early 1990s. The first phase was the Future Focus initiative. From late September…
Date: 2010 Period: 1990-current -
Tamariki in state care
The number of Māori children in care rose from 54.7% in June 2013 to 61.2% of children in care in 2017. The Pākehā proportion of children in care over the same period reduced from 33.2% to 26%.[i] Between 2015 and 2018, the total number of newborn babies (…
Date: 2010 Period: 1990-current -
Taskforce on Whānau-centred Initiatives
MSD provided administrative support to the Whānau Ora taskforce set up in 2009 to address concerns about health and social service providers being too slow and focused on individuals rather than whānau wellbeing and capabilities. The Taskforce reported to …
Date: 2010 Period: 1990-current -
Welfare Working Group (WWG) established
Introduced by the National Government, the WWG, in its final report, summarised its recommendations as: ‘a plan for a large scale and comprehensive reform of the welfare system to reduce long-term welfare dependency.’ Two key elements were the introduction…
Date: 2010 Period: 1990-current -
Whānau Ora policy
Whānau Ora – an interagency approach to providing services and opportunities to all New Zealand families in need –was also about the transformation of whānau (with whānau setting their own direction). It was driven by a focus on outcomes that whānau would …
Date: 2010 Period: 1990-current -
Christchurch earthquake
A major earthquake strikes Christchurch and surrounding areas. Ngāi Tahu becomes a statutory partner with Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA). Ngai Tahu and Ngā Mātā Waka from across the country established the Māori Recovery Network reaching o…
Date: 2011 Period: 1990-current -
Investment approach announced
In November 2011 the government announced that a long-term fiscal liability focus, or ‘investment approach’, would underpin its future welfare reform programme.[i]
Date: 2011 Period: 1990-current -
Ko Aotearoa Tēnei released
The Waitangi Tribunal released the Wai 262 report: Ko Aotearoa Tēnei. It recommended ‘wide-ranging reforms to laws and policies affecting Māori culture and identity and [called] for the Crown-Māori relationship to move beyond grievance to a new era based o…
Date: 2011 Period: 1990-current
Footnotes
- [i] go to main content Ben Loughrey-Webb, ‘The Welfare Reforms of the Fourth (1990-99) and Fifth (2008-2014) National Governments: A Critical Analysis and Evaluation’, MA Thesis, University of Otago, 2015, pp. 63-8.
- [ii] go to main content Atholl Anderson, Judith Binney, Aroha Harris, Tangata Whenua: An Illustrated History, Bridget Williams Books, Wellington, 2014, p. 426.
- [iii] go to main content Tangata Whenua, p. 426.
- [iv] go to main content For this and further examples, see: He Pāharakeke, he Rito Whakakīkinga Whāruarua (justice.govt.nz)