You do wonder if National have an agenda pre-election over race-based issues.

The Waitangi Tribunal review is on Tama Potaka's desk and has been for a while.

It hasn’t gone to Cabinet. Why not?

The report into what they call MAPAS (the Maori and Pacific Admissions Scheme) for medical school at Auckland and Otago university was a coalition deal between Act and National to review it.

They have done it. It's on Associate Health minister Matt Doocey's desk.

Has it gone to Cabinet? No.

Why?

Could it be National aren't all that gripped by race-based issues and don’t want to rock the boat before polling day?

The medical school programme is a scam. It's defended by the universities because they want the gap closed in terms of race representation in medical studies.

In simple terms if you are a Maori or Pacific Islander, your entry to medical school is easier than if you are not. That is indisputably discrimination.

What makes it worse is access to medical school for non-Maori or Pacific Islanders is extraordinarily high.

You need a score into the very high 90's to even get close. There has been much debate over the years as to whether that actually produces great doctors or not.

As a result Auckland take a slightly different approach to Otago over admissions, but the truth remains race gives you an easier pathway.

Their defence also suggests that once in you still have to achieve, no matter who you are and that they also run a rural programme that favours students from regional backgrounds.

My argument is race and geography should play no role. What I want in a doctor is competence and professionalism. Do they know what they are doing?

My GP's have been women, Asian, Indian, male, British, Irish, older and younger. None of it mattered.

Some were quite obviously good, some weren't. Their medical acumen was, and is, what I'm interested in. I assume it's even more relevant by the time you are on a surgery table getting cut open.

It will be interesting to see what the report says. I find it hard to believe the conclusion isn't inevitable i.e race is discrimination, and this Government promised that sort of thing would stop.

So, where is the report? Why isn't it public?  

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