More focus on tokenism

The Herald reported:

Ardern proudly proclaimed they’d ensured that all of our District Health Boards are now made up of at least 20 per cent of Māori, saying that thanks to their appointments for the first time the boards fully represent the Māori people. 

I thought the Boards were then to govern, not to represent. Parliament’s job is to represent.

It shows how the Government is focused on tokenist gestures like this which are easy to do, but have they actually improved health outcomes for Maori?

Here’s some of the movement of health indicators between 2017 and 2018 for Maori:

• Amphetamine use up from 2.3% to 3.3%
• Cannabis use up from 25.3% to 32%
• Current smokers up from 33.5% to 34%
• Good self-rated health down from 80.3% to 77.3%
• Obesity rate up from 47.5% to 48.2%

But hey boards are now 20% Maori so who cares about actual health outcomes for Maori.