Te Taura Ora o Waiariki IMPB chairman Hingatu Thompson at the national Iwi Māori Partnership Board hui on August 7 and 8 in New Plymouth. Photo / Supplied
Te Taura Ora o Waiariki IMPB chairman Hingatu Thompson at the national Iwi Māori Partnership Board hui on August 7 and 8 in New Plymouth. Photo / Supplied
The Government’s proposed legislative changes to the health system “threaten to remove iwi’s meaningful participation” on the future of Māori health, the Rotorua area Iwi Māori Partnership Board (IMPB) says.
Te Taura Ora o Waiariki attended the national IMPB hui on August 7 and 8 in New Plymouth where IMPBsunited to oppose Government plans that threatened to “silence” Māori voices, an August 12 IMPB statement said.
IMPBs are regional, Māori-led governance bodies created in 2022 under the previous Government to support the health sector to meet the needs of their communities and ensure Māori participation in health decisions.
Te Taura Ora o Waiariki is the legislated IMPB for the Rotorua area.
IMPBs’ focus would shift from local service design and delivery to engaging with communities on local perspectives and Māori health outcomes.
The bill would remove the requirement for Health NZ to engage with IMPBs when determining priorities for kaupapa Māori investment.
The Government would enhance the role of the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee (HMAC) which would provide independent advice to the Health Minister and the Health NZ board.
Te Taura Ora o Waiariki IMPB chairman Hingatu Thompson and member Lauren James at the national Iwi Māori Partnership Board hui on August 7 and 8 in New Plymouth. Photo / Supplied
In the IMPB statement, Te Taura Ora o Waiariki chairman Hingatu Thompson said the public health system was “actually not doing really well for our people”.
The IMPB’s first monitoring report revealed “very low” breast and cervical cancer screening rates and low child immunisation rates in the Lakes region, showing the “urgent need” for greater investment in Māori-led health solutions.
“What was encouraging with the original Pae Ora Act was that mana returned to Te Arawa to take control, to analyse data ourselves with our Whānau Voice surveying that gathers our own information from whānau [in] our rohe to influence priorities,” Thompson said.
The proposed changes threatened to “remove iwi’s meaningful participation and advice on the future of hauora for our people”, he said.
Te Taura Ora o Waiariki IMPB chairman Hingatu Thompson and member Lauren James at the national Iwi Māori Partnership Board hui on August 7 and 8 in New Plymouth. Photo / Supplied
Thompson said Te Arawa had maintained strong hauora partnerships across successive governments and would continue to do so.
However, the proposed legislation risked “sidelining iwi voices” by channelling feedback primarily through the Minister-appointed HMAC which lacked Waiariki representation.
As IMPBs, “we have unique regional and local priorities and accountability to our whānau at home,” Thompson said.
“We must work directly with Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand at these levels to influence how services are delivered, who delivers them, and ultimately to achieve better outcomes for Māori in our rohe.”
The IMPB would make a submission to the Health Committee. Thompson intended to present in person on behalf of Waiariki whānau.
Health Minister Simeon Brown announced amendments to the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act on June 14. Photo / Mark Mitchell
In response, Minister Brown said the Government was focused on improving health outcomes for all New Zealanders, including Māori, which was why it brought back health targets.
“We are committed to delivering services based on need and recognise that different approaches are required to reach and support some communities more effectively.”
Brown said IMPBs would play a “key role” by engaging with their communities and sharing local insights with HMAC.
“This advice will inform [decisions] made by myself and the Health New Zealand board.”
Brown said HMAC had expressed its support, noting the changes would enable it to provide “stronger, clearer advice” on Māori health priorities to the Minister and Health NZ.
For example, Māori children continued to have lower vaccination rates than non-Māori.
“With deeper insight from IMPBs into local barriers or causes of hesitancy, HMAC can provide advice that helps shape more effective, community-informed responses.”
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.
