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 101 - 110 of 270 events.
-
Mainstreaming of Native schools began
Māori Education Conference leads to establishment of Māori Education Foundation.[i]
Date: 1955 Period: 1938-1971 -
Māori Trust Boards Act
Between 1922 and 1953, ten Māori trusts were established by statute to receive and administer compensation awarded by the Crown in settlement of various long-held Māori grievances. In 1955, as part of a move to update all existing Māori legislation, the Ac…
Date: 1955 Period: 1938-1971 -
Marriage Act
Did not recognise Māori customary practices.[i]
Date: 1955 Period: 1938-1971 -
National Committee on Māori Education
The Minister of Education appointed a National Committee on Māori Education (with majority Māori membership), which agreed there should be one system of State schooling for both Māori and Pākehā. The Committee was reconstituted as the National Advisory Com…
Date: 1955 Period: 1938-1971 -
First national directory of social services
Department of Māori Affairs published the first, and perhaps only, national directory of social services. The directory was considered incomplete but still included the details of some 360 voluntary organisations, as well as hospital boards and most govern…
Date: 1957 Period: 1938-1971 -
New Zealand Māori Wardens Association (NZMWA) inaugural meeting
The meeting was held at Rotorua early in December 1957. By the end of 1957 there were 376 Māori wardens who had been appointed through tribal committees.[i]
Date: 1957 Period: 1938-1971 -
Family benefit capitalisation introduced
Walter Nash initiated the capitalisation of family benefits in 1958 by allowing all of each child’s benefit to be paid in advance in a lump sum if this was used either for the purchase of a new house or for necessary additions to a house the family was alr…
Date: 1958 Period: 1938-1971 -
The first permanent social welfare officers
The officers began working for the Department of Social Security.[i]
Date: 1958 Period: 1938-1971 -
Māori Urban relocation programme
Introduced by the Department of Māori Affairs and consistent with the Hunn report which welcomed Māori urban migration as the quickest way of integrating Māori into Pākehā ways of life.
Date: 1960 Period: 1938-1971 -
Board of Health’s Māori Health Committee
Established as a result of R.J. Rose’s Maori-European Standards of Health report, the Board met for the first time on 25 January 1961.[i]
Date: 1961 Period: 1938-1971
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)