"Waitangi Tribunal investigates sick, racist health system that 'fails Māori'",

My children and husband are Maori. Both children have had health issues; pneumonia, asthma, scoliosis and epilepsy. We have always been treated with absolute respect and have received very good care over the 15 years that my kids have been in and out of hospital and specialists. I have not experienced this so called racism at all. Many of our doctors and specialists have not even come from Nz, so they have probably experienced their own share of racism. Anecdotally this feels like a fishing expedition which has automatically leapt to the conclusion of racism to explain poorer outcomes for Maori. I would like to know what else did they look at e.g. how well did Maori turn up to their appointments, did they leave seeking medical attention late, did they take the medication etc.

I just asked my 2 Maori colleagues if they felt failed by the racist health system. Their response was simple - Maori failed Maori, too many are overweight, heavy drinkers and smokers who fail to take care of themselves!

Race baiting rubbish - unequal outcomes do not automatically equal racism. There could be many reasons for such discrepancies that have nothing to do with bias. The constant careless and unfounded claims of racism the media keeps throwing around only demean real racism

Differences in outcomes do not mean it is due to discrimination. Men are more likely to die from violence and be in prison. It doesnt mean the system discriminates against men. As a man I can say: men are more violent in general than women.In health, behaviors of patients drive outcomes. There has been a drive to have PI health providers for PI people for example- it made no difference. Some PI people do not want someone from their community to know their business and are worried that the rest of the community would find out.To change health behaviours we must put to focus on individuals most prominently. No one can force you to turn up to doctors appointments, get your kids immunized or take your medications. As a health professional the claims that Maori are discriminated in health care is most insulting. I do not see it in myself or my colleagues. There are unequal outcomes but they are not from discrimination. The studies released that supposedly shows discrimination are flawed, they show a difference in outcomes but they dont account for differences in health behaviours.

What a lot of rubbish. At our local Hospital every Department has an area set aside for Maori only where they are provided with tea,coffee and biscuits etc (free of charge). Nothing for the white man. There are agencies around town that deal solely with Maori health. At a neighbouring town there is a Doctors practice which deals solely with Maori. Im afraid it is reverse racism in this country..

My wife works in the health system. I find this article a load of rubbish. They have special free clinics on maraes, to get the health checks done. But after a few years of building up a relationship, gets cut off by local iwi who want something else. Back to square one.

Is this an opinion piece or factual. More Maori smoke than the national average-fact. Has this been taken into account. Easy to blame racial bias once again.

Regarding organ donations, if you arent prepared to give because of cultural values then surely receiving other peoples organs is also against your cultural values.

I agree 100%, Our DHB has a Health hub especially for Maori, where is the one for us??

Oh dear. The poor us stance repeated ad nauseum by Maori leaders isnt helping their cause one iota. The last sentence of the article says it all. Special treatment isnt required. What is required however is for Maori leaders to stop putting up roadblocks and the people to start availing themselves of a health system that has been designed for all.

More confirmation bias claptrap caused by having their minds made up and doing only single variable analysis. If ALL that is looked at is Maori versus all others or just ethnicity than that is what you get. That such an approach is actively fraudulent is known as there are GOOD studies that look at a wide range of factors and in these Poverty is far more important than ethnicity. Next is isolation, distance, remoteness pick the one that you prefer. But then the grievance organisations involved (and that includes the Tribunal - as amongst the chief of the grievance industry) will only find ethnicity as that is their fanaticism and their entire reason for being. Until we call out shoddy and doomed to success exercises like this and compare them with proper objective multivariate studies well will continue to generate failure and disharmony,

None of this would be because of, alcoholism, drug taking, obesity, poor health choices?.............

Maori need to stop the racist ticket and get on and improve their own life styles. If all is so bad why dont they use some of their Treaty payments to get something working that they are happy with. Personally, I am fed up with Maori claiming racism at every turn. I dont hear our Indian, Chinese,and other immigrants making the same claims, so what is going on here.

You dont think it may have anything to do with Maori not being proactive and seeking medical care in time?

Look, Im Māori and Im getting sick of everyone saying we are not treated properly. I didnt rely on handouts and actually did something about it and got an education. Every Māori can follow me but they chose not to and thats their issue not the rest of the countries issue. Some are just content with doing nothing and relying on pity and handouts. Kia Kaha

I find it very disappointing that there are those that choose to use the racist card to get what they want when clearly none exists. Just like in this article there was not one case presented. Wifey works in the DHB and they provide services to Maori that other New Zealanders do not get. An example of this that any overnight stays or more Maori patients are all given a pack that includes toothbrush and toothpaste etc.All staff complete courses that not only include the treaty but also on the wants and needs of Maori. There are no courses for any other race.Maori statistics for not turning up to appointments are nearly twice as high for any other New Zealander. I do think personal responsibility for the choices you make is really the key. It really all gets back to education.

Its because the article is about the entire Maori race and culture...

Maori have failed Maori. Victim mentality. Give them control of their own health system and then we will see a real crisis.

When I go to my health clinic I wait in line like everyone else or for my qppintment. Ive never been bumped up the order because of Maori person waiting before me or taken their appointment

Any culture which opposes donating organs should not expect to receive organs from other cultures. What a hypocritical complaint.