Maoris split over Whare Paia

New Zealand

The ‘hijack’ by radical Maori activists of a controversial project for indigenous

psychiatric care has come unstuck.

By David Robie

WHEN New Zealand medical authorities ordered the clo sure of Whare Paia a con troversial Auckland psychiatric unit for treating indigenous patients in October, Maori nationalists immediate ly branded the move as “racist”; a

dramatic example of oppression by

the dominant Pakeha culture. Main mainstream Maori community leaders,

however, disagreed.

According to the scenario outlined by Maori investigator Hiwi Tauroa, whose recommendations led to the shutdown, manipulation of Maori de cision-making processes and intimida tion of Pakcna workers through accusations of racism enabled a small group of radical Maori activists not recognised as leaders in their own cul ture to arrogate wide-ranging powers to themselves.

Supporters of Maori nationalist Titewnai Harawira who had already been suspended as co ordinator of Maori health services at

Auckland’s Carrington Psychiatric

Hospital, pending a court hearing of

assault charges have portrayed the struggle as an attempt to sabotage Maori self-determination in mental health. They have accused their Maori opponents of “selling out” to the Pake ha, and have pledged to fight on.

In fact, says Harayvira, her suspen sion and the closure of the $1.2 mil lion unit responsible for treating some of the hospital’s most disturbed pa tients have far yvider implications for race relations in New Zealand. “It’s got nothing to do with the care of patients, nothing to do with the Whare Paia. It’s got a lot to do with the demolition of Maoris by this treacherous government,” she de clared in a Television New Zealand in lervieyv before the shutdown. “They are using this whole issue as a smokescreen while they demolish the Department of Maori Affairs and move on to doing away with the four Maori seats in Parliament in prepara

lion for the 1990 Commonwealth Games where they will be able to say, 'Haven’t we done well, we’ve assimilated all those Maoris’. It’s not going to happen like that.

“VVhare Paia is a bicultural unit; it’s the beginning of what the country should look like. And the government is scared about that, too, because if it functions well every other department in this country is going to have to rethink its monocultural wavs.”

However, say many Maori elders, it isn’t as simple as that. There are several alternative views of how Maori self-determination can be achieved in health other than through the ill-fated Whare Paia model. At Tokanui Psychiatric Hospital, for example, the Whai Ora Maori health unit has been running successfully’ for two years . . . yvithout a political battle. Hiwi Tauroa’s report on the ward staffs

'Mickey Mouse accountability’ and

alleged holding of patients hostage

politically sealed the fate of the ward when it condemned the ‘excessive freedom’ given to Harawira.

A member of the Maori nationalist group Te Ahi Kaa (“Keepers of the Fire”), Harayvira helped pioneer pro tests for Maori rights under the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. She and four VVhare Paia staff members have been charged over an alleged assault of a

patient yvho had allegedly raped a

female staff member. The man was treated for injuries resulting from the assault.

Immediately after the Auckland Hospital Board announced the closure of tne clinic late in October, a Maori social yvorker reportedly threatened Tauroa with ‘necklacing’ a black South African method of killing col laborators by setting fire to a tyre fil led with petrol around the neck of a bound victim. The social worker yvas suspended by the Maori Affairs De partment and charged by police over the incident. Police also mounted guard outside Tauroa’s home.

Former race relations conciliator Tauroa, who was commissioned by the Auckland Hospital Board to carry out an inquiry into Whare Paia following a wave of alleged assaults, threats and accusations of the misuse of public funds, tabled a damning report. He detailed yvhat he termed the mecha nics of manipulation’ for personal and ideological gain, and warned that in

future recognised Maori leaders would need to be prepared to stand up and challenge false 'Maori views’.

After visits to many marae in the Auckland region, Tauroa became con vinced most of the Maori leadership did not support Whare Paia in its pre sent form. A fhey were most unhappy about the things that had been said and recorded about Maoridom in general,” he said, “much of which arose inevitably from the behaviour of those being promoted by the media as

Maori leaders.”

Tauroa added that when meeting some of the Whare Paia staff, “1 found that when it suited them they would uphold Maori customs. When, however, it served them belter to trample on Maori tikanga , there was never any hesitation to do this. I have been present on numerous marae when tney have insulted tangata whe nua (people of the land) usually under the banner of seeking a Waitan gi Treaty solution, a take (subject for discussion) concerning which there

will always be degrees of support.”

Tauroa also accused the New Zea land media of creating so-called spokespeople for Maoridom who “would not exist” without newspapers and television. Many of those mis takenly seen as leaders are sought out by the media because they are “de

liberately controversial or offensive, and are prepared to sacrifice their

people for personal motives”.

“instead tne ward had been hijacked

bv racially preoccupied political radic

als as a noisy and splotlit stage on which to promote Maori nationalism,” said the New Zealand Herald. “That public funds and the mentally ill have been so used required reproach for those involved, not least tne medical board that allowed the situation to de velop and took so long to correct it”.

The Auckland Star agreed; “Far from being a racist act, the closure is neces sary to protect the interests of the whole community, Maori included, and the welfare of patients, Maori in

particular”.

However, the Star also noted that it hoped that Whare Paia might emerge

again following a suitable cooling-off

period, this time applying normal standards of accountability and profes sional care into an appropriate cultu ral context.

District Court Judge Kenneth Mason was called in to head an in quiry into psychiatric care in the coun try’s largest city last July, following a double murder by a patient on tem porary release from Carrington Hos

pital. The inquiry’s report, recently

made public, condemned medical au

thorities as having ‘disgraced psychial

ry’ and warned lack of security could cause a catastrophe. An injunction was filed to prevent blamed medical offi cials being named publicly but both Prime Minister David Lange and the Opposition called for their resigna tions. Mason also condemned Whare Paia staff who refused to meet him.

According to Tauroa’s report, Whare Paia patients were being drilled in support action for Maori national ists employed on the staff and medical

procedures for patients moving out of

the hospital to public functions had

been ignored. That practice suggested

a danger to patients and public.

Threats and violence from ward staff had also raised concern. “That among persons threatening violence are the people in charge of a psychiat ric unit makes a mocxery of patient care,” Tauroa’s report said.

Attempts to resolve the crisis peace fully at Whare Paia failed: stall re fused to co-operate with the Maori health project manager for Carrington Hospital, Te Pere Curtis.

Tne row was not a Maori failure, he stressed: “Maoridom at large had fell the images arising out of the Carring ton issues were destructive of the Maori people”. Tauroa appealed to the hospital board to press on with boosting Maori involvement in all levels of health care. □