King’s Birthday and Coronation Honours 2023: Tofilau Talalelei Taufale recognised for services to Pacific health

Tofilau Talalelei Taufale has been made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Pacific health as part of the King's Birthday and Coronation Honours List 2023. Photo / Paul Taylor

Tofilau Talalelei Taufale has been told more than once that he may receive royal recognition for his work, but it was still far from his mind when he finally made the King’s Birthday Honours list this year.

Taufale, a resident of Napier, was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Pacific Health as part of the King’s Birthday and Coronation Honours List 2023.

He said he didn’t think much about being nominated himself, but he always enjoyed seeing Pacific people across all fields being recognised.

“It has been a while since we have had a Pacific person from Hawke’s Bay [honoured] and to be nominated was just such a huge honour and privilege for myself, but I also acknowledge the people who have supported all the health focuses that we have put in place over the years. It is the sum of all parts,” Taufale said.

“For those who nominated me, I feel very humbled and very privileged to have even been thought highly enough in those spaces to be put forward.”

He has been the Pacific Health Manager of the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board since 2011 and he was integral to Covid-19 vaccination efforts in the Hawke’s Bay region, which saw the region lead the national vaccination rates based on population percentage.

Taufale said the most important part of his work was giving the Pacific voice a platform in the area of health within the Hawke’s Bay region and nationwide.

“There are clear examples and evidence that when we are enabled, informed and supported then we can make a clear difference,” Taufale said.

“Ensuring that all Pacific families and peoples count in Aotearoa is really important.”

He said the RSE community specifically was a big focus of his right now.

“Those numbers are growing across Aotearoa and in Hawke’s Bay I’d like to think we are leading the way to shape and influence what a strong health and wellbeing framework would look like for RSE and that is under the Ola Manuia framework that we are working collectively with MBIE [Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment] on.”

Taufale said an honour for himself and other Pacific people was “an acknowledgement of the village’s work”.

He has led many targeted Pacific Health and Wellbeing initiatives, community outreach projects and fundraisers, including a Measles Fundraiser for Samoa in 2019.

Taufale led the development of a Pacific Workforce Strategy and established the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board Cadetship programme and the Māori and Pacific Hauora programme.

He is also the co-founder and director of USO Bike Ride, an initiative established to promote health and wellbeing for Māori and Pacific whānau through cycling.

USO Bike Ride has worked with several organisations including the Cancer Society, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and schools to promote cycle education nationally and internationally while working with families to understand the importance of regular health checks, active transport and safe cycling.