Māori Party co-leaders Rawiri Waititi Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.
Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas
The National Party has been piling on the pressure, saying the [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/441575/government-plans-may-lead-to-maori-systems-for-education-justice-collins the government is creating a separatist system, and the Authority is just one of many ways they're giving more governing power to Māori.
They vehemently oppose the Authority's joint-decision making powers, which allow it to veto the sign-off of policy put forward by the wider national body, Health NZ.
Minister of Health Andrew Little said "that might extend the policy-making and decision-making out by a small margin but it won't stop reaching agreement."