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https://theconversation.com/ethnicity-is-a-useful-shortcut-for-identifying-need-without-it-targeting-public-services-will-get-harder-239388>
"The government’s recent directive that public services should be prioritised
“on the basis of need, not race” will make it harder and more time consuming to
reach New Zealanders with higher needs.
Focused on ethnicity, the directive failed to recognise that many “proxies” for
need – such as age, gender, rural location and income – are routinely used in
New Zealand and elsewhere to allocate resources.
And this policy goes against substantial evidence that ethnicity is, in fact, a
suitable way to identify need.
In addition to making it harder to identify and reach high-need New Zealanders,
the policy will likely worsen existing inequities. There is also the concern
that it will put providers at risk of financial failure because they are not
receiving enough to cover the costs of high-needs patients."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
