On Wednesday the 29th of July, your alliance showed up and hosted a hopeful incredible election forum of over a thousand people for the health and care system of Aotearoa. This was the result of the hard mahi your community, faith group, and union group put in from the day you adopted this as your Health and Care campaign.
The regular team meetings, the strategy planning, the listening campaign, table talks, residential trainings, snowflake turnout plans, phone banks, all led to this. Indeed it was a night to remember. Not for its political outcomes, or reactions post-action, but for those individuals who felt seen, heard, and appreciated in the room at this action.
Seeing the diverse groups of people coming together was what power looks like when people gets organised. This showed what Tāmaki Makaurau is and what Te Ohu is all about. From the Tuingapapai Church choir and band setting the tone with an outstanding performance, even calling off their usual Wednesday church service so they could be there. This is unheard of for a church to do let alone a Tongan Free Wesleyan Church.
To the amazing catering of curry and rice from Noor Foundation and keke ‘īsite and ‘otai from House of Grace. Everyone was well fed and we even had someone’s feedback saying “I feel represented here.”
Your three co-chairs representing your faith, community, and union groups stood up there with mana and confidence in their alliance looking out at the packed room knowing this is for each and every one of us present and those who couldn’t make it also.
Of course it wouldn’t be the powerful action that it was without its speakers and their deep felt stories. Every single one of them came ready and shared a powerful heartfelt story. Rev. Dr. Jordan Redding from St. Helier's Church spoke as the faith speaker, E tū member Carla Alfanso spoke on behalf of the care and support workers, PSA member Andy Colwell spoke on behalf of the mental health workers, NZNO member Sophie Tomes spoke on behalf of the nurses, and 'Ofa Pelisi 'Ana ki Vahanoa Toafa from as the community speaker on the night. We Also had an expert speaker, the one and only Dame Judy McGregor and the crowd was energised and inspired by every single one of these speakers.
The night peaked when the Opportunity Party Deputy leader Daniel Eb and the Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick committed to the Te Ohu Tāmaki Health and Care Asks. They were as follows:
- Commit in principle to a publicly funded public health system that is of high quality and provides equitable access and outcomes to all in Aotearoa New Zealand.
- Commit to passing legislation within its first 100 days in government that restores and fully funds the pay equity gains already won by workers in the Care and Support sector, helping attract, retain and grow the workforce on which our communities depend. Also, begin work within its first 100 days on a new Equal Pay Act that helps rebuild and sustain the care and support sector Aotearoa will depend on in the future.
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Commit to launch a government inquiry into New Zealand's health and care funding settings to establish a framework for a staff-to-patient ratio standard for the New Zealand Health and Care system that reflects:
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The safety of patients
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The safety of health and care workers
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Different settings for healthcare delivery
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A commitment to a high quality publicly funded health system
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A target bed-to-population ratio for New Zealand including associated workforce planning
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An expectation of respect and safety for all without their cultural identity being challenged or diminished.
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The cost of legislating enforceable staff-to-patient ratios
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Equitable access to health and care
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Giving effect to the Rural Health Strategy
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- Commit to working with Te Ohu in the implementation of these commitments, and meet with us back here one year from now to report on progress
Then bringing it all back in and grounding the night was your message of hope and power in each other from Beth Shalom leader Rabbi Dean and House of Grace leader Tupouteisa 'Unga.
People left that night with hope, others with more questions, and some fired up to take action and vote because their vote counts. Now we look ahead and move forward, getting your communities and people to vote.