College of GPs joins calls for Government to drop the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill and focus on addressing systemic health inequities

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) along with Te Akoranga a Māui, the College’s Māori representative group, does not support the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, nor its intent, and asserts that the Bill should be dropped from Parliament.

In the context of health, the College says the significant and persistent health inequities experienced by Māori are unacceptable and call on the Government to focus its attention on addressing these inequities as a matter of priority.

College Chief Executive Toby Beaglehole says, "A one-size-fits-all approach to healthcare is not the solution and is not how we will achieve health equity in Aotearoa. Recognising ethnicity as a marker of health outcomes is key, as is recognising the importance of Māori leadership and Kaupapa Māori solutions in primary care, and the overall health sector."

Within primary care, the College recognises the importance of ensuring whānau Māori, hapu and iwi are meaningfully engaged in the development of health solutions that more clearly reflect Māori aspirations and needs, now and into the future.

Dr Jason Tuhoe (Hauraki, Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Pikiao), Chair of Te Akoranga a Māui and College Board member says, "The proposed Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill is an unnecessary distraction created to actively remove pre-existing rights that were reaffirmed by Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We continue to witness the impact of a system that has historically and contemporarily failed to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and now we have a proposed Bill that further seeks to marginalise and disenfranchise Māori.

"It has been heartwarming to see the collaboration between Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti in opposition to this Bill. The nationwide hīkoi that culminated in tens of thousands of people descending on Parliament this week is a statement that we want to be better as a nation. We owe it to our future tamariki and mokopuna to create an Aotearoa that recognises and actively protects Tino Rangatiratanga in hauora for Māori."

As the organisation responsible for training the next generations of GPs and rural hospital doctors, and for improving health outcomes, the College will continue to honour its roles and responsibilities in supporting and advocating for Māori health equity across the health system.