Māori hauora present taonga to Minister Turia

Māori hauora present taonga to Minister Turia

The New Zealand Nurses organisation (NZNO) and Te Runanga o Aotearoa NZNO today presented Associate Minister of Health, Tariana Turia with a special taonga made by nurses and health care workers from all around the country.

The taonga is part of the Te Rau Kōkiri campaign, which is seeking pay parity for Māori and iwi nurses and health workers. Māori and iwi health workers earn up to 25 percent less than their colleagues in district health boards.

“Tariana Turia has responsibility for the development of Māori and iwi health providers and we are hopeful that our presentation of this taonga will cement her commitment to this very worthy cause,” NZNO kaiwhakahaere, Kerri Nuku said.

“Our campaign is ground-breaking; for the first time employers and NZNO members are working to together to achieve the same goal. Both health providers and health workers know how important New Zealand’s Māori for Māori health workforce is. Only when these nurses and health workers achieve pay parity, will retention improve and health gains for communities follow.”

The presentation took place at Whangaehu Marae in Whanganui and was attended by Te Poari o Te Runanga o Aotearoa, NZNO members, Māori and Iwi providers covered by Te Rau Kōkiri multi employer collective agreement and the Te Rau Kōkiri project team.

ENDS

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