Treaty-based change for NZ’s health & disability system

We’re in for a new Treaty-based health and disability system. That’s one of the recommendations of the final report on the Health and Disability System Review.

The Review recommends that the Treaty/ te Tiriti principles are embedded through New Zealand’s health and disability system. It also recommends amending the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 to reflect more recent interpretations of the Treaty of Waitangi (for the final report see here).

The Waitangi Tribunal’s principles will be important.

In its report – Hauora: Report on Stage One of the Health Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry (Hauora report)25 (Wai 2575) -the Tribunal criticised the 3 Ps approach to Treaty interpretation (Participation. Instead, it outlined 5 Treaty principles for our future health system (see below).

(For more about what the Tribunal report check out Learning from the Tribunal Health Report)