Te Puni Kokiri - Dr Pita Sharples

Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples has expressed support for the staff of Te Puni Kokiri, who have been given a preliminary briefing by the Chief Executive on the Ministry’s operating environment.

“How the Ministry manages their fiscal pressures and efficiency dividend is of course an operational matter for management. I expect to be consulted on the Chief Executive’s proposals for how Te Puni Kokiri continues to deliver the most effective services to the public, within the budget they have been allocated,” he said.

“Uncertainty creates anxiety, and so I feel aroha for the staff and their families at this time,” said Dr Sharples. "While the impacts of the fiscal environment on public sector reform have been widely known, the challenges at an individual and whanau level can be hard. I am sorry if their situation is being made worse by political grandstanding."