Chronology for 1938-1971
Assimilating into universal welfare
Labour’s policies were underpinned by a principle of universality and a vision of the nation as a classless community. Rich, middle-class and poor were linked by the same national system of state support and social services; superannuation, however small, was to be available to every aged person who was not already on another benefit and was an important symbol of citizenship. The ‘system as a whole was removed from ‘the taint of charity’ and became a source of national pride’.[i] go to footnote
This was a period of great demographic change for iwi Māori with the mass migration of its rural population to the cities of New Zealand. The need for workers in essential industries and the post-war labour boom provided rangatahi and whānau Māori with ample employment, 'incomes that were almost equal to those of Pākehā, and access to family welfare benefits that boosted the incomes of large families by around 50 percent.'[ii] go to footnote However, the financial rewards were offset by one or both parents working long hours to cover the costs of city living and it exposed Māori to discrimination. The Department of Māori Affairs played a welfare role in the lives of whānau Māori during this period, with a policy of integrating Māori into the social fabric of ‘mainstream’ New Zealand society. Through housing allocation policies attempts were made to pepper pot Māori in Pākehā suburban streets.[iii] go to footnote Young Māori women who moved to the cities for essential industry work or single rangatahi simply moving to the city for work opportunities were directed into hostels.
Before the 1950s, child welfare agencies endeavoured to keep Māori children with their families or in their own tribal area.[iv] go to footnote In the 1950s, Māori became a disproportionate minority in all areas of child welfare work with a steady growth in Māori juvenile delinquency with recorded Māori offending at three or four times the rate of Pākehā, particularly in the 15–20 age.[v] go to footnote
Chronology events
Displaying 221 - 230 of 270 events.
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Whānau Ora
Whānau Ora becomes part of Ministry of Health’s strategy for Māori health.[i]
Date: 2002 Period: 1990-current -
Families Commission established
The focus of the Commission was as an advocate for NZ families, with the Act also providing for identifying factors that support resilience and strength of families. Importantly, the term ‘family’ is broadly defined to include ‘whānau’. The Commission had …
Date: 2003 Period: 1990-current -
Housing Innovation Fund established
The Housing Innovation Fund, renamed The Social Housing fund from 1 July 2011, was established to increase the availability of rental housing and home ownership opportunities for low-income households and people with special needs. Funding was also availab…
Date: 2003 Period: 1990-current -
National Urban Māori Authority (NUMA) founded
NUMA represents seven affiliated urban Māori authorities in five urban centres across New Zealand. It is responsible for the delivery of approximately 300 whānau and community-based services across the areas of education, health, housing, justice, and soci…
Date: 2003 Period: 1990-current -
Social Workers required to be registered
In 2003 the Social Workers Registration Act was passed to prevent any unregistered person from claiming to be a social worker.[i]
Date: 2003 Period: 1990-current -
Hui Taumata
A national hui focused on accelerating Māori economic development, held at Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington from 1-3 March 2005. The vision for Hui Taumata 2005 was to expand Māori economic pathways.[i]
Date: 2005 Period: 1990-current -
Iwi Chairs Forum convened
The Iwi Chairs Forum was convened at a hui at Takahanga Marae in Kaikōura. The forum is made up of the chairs of iwi governance entities who hold regular meetings to discuss matters of national interest to iwi and Māori more broadly and represents, accordi…
Date: 2005 Period: 1990-current -
Child, Youth & Family integrated into MSD
The Child, Youth & Family business unit of the Department of Social Welfare was fully integrated into the Ministry of Social Development.[i]
Date: 2006 Period: 1990-current -
Claims Resolution Team
Set up within the Ministry of Social Development to respond to claims of historic abuse or neglect against Child, Youth and Family or its predecessor entities.[i]
Date: 2006 Period: 1990-current -
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
Footnotes
- [i] go to main content Tim Garlick, Social Developments: An organizational history of the Ministry of Social Development and its predecessors, 1860-2011, Steele Roberts Aotearoa, Wellington, 2012, p.70.
- [ii] go to main content Melissa Matutina Williams, Panguru and the City, Bridget Williams Books, Wellington, 2010, p. 195.
- [iii] go to main content Urbanisation – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand
- [iv] go to main content Bronwyn Dalley, Family Matters, Wellington, 1998, p. 6.
- [v] go to main content Dalley, 1998, p. 192.