“We’ve Come a Long Way”

National Urban Māori Authority Chair Lady Tureiti Moxon and Awerangi Tamihere of Te Whānau Waipareira, a NUMA member have been named as Board appointments to the Māori Health Authority today.

Sixteen years ago, Moxon applied to the Waitangi Tribunal with other Māori Health Providers challenging inequities suffered by Māori in the public health system.

In 2019 the Tribunal’s Hauora Report recorded the Crown’s recognition of Māori Health Providers as the benchmark for the entire sector.

Both Moxon and Tamihere were appointed alongside 7 others to the Board of the Māori Health Authority on the recommendation of Tā Mason Durie’s steering group that identified the best possible candidates.

“We’ve come a long way since 2005 when we first took our Wai 1315 claim to the Waitangi Tribunal,” said Lady Tureiti.

“It was our vision then that we would have a Māori DHB. Fast forward to today and we finally have a stand-alone Māori Health Authority that will eradicate inequities suffered by Māori.”

Minister Little and Minister Henare made the joint announcement together on the appointments.

Acknowledging that the Authority is starting from scratch, the Chair of NUMA is adamant it must enable Māori to freely exercise mana motuhake and tino rangatiratanga.

“There is a lot of work that needs to be done by this group to make sure that the Māori Health Authority can respond to the needs of Māori. So long as we have the scope to support innovation and creativity already evident in Māori communities and Māori Health Providers, the future looks very bright.”

The pair of urban Māori leaders wish to ensure that the Māori Health Authority does not get subdued by the government of the day’s agenda.

“Yes, this is a first and a huge shift however it is very important that we stay focused on ‘for Māori, by Māori’ and that there is sharing of resources and power.”

“I would like to believe it is the true beginning of a partnership and relationship under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which should’ve happened back in 1840,” Lady Tureiti said.

“It takes courage to realise the moemoea and I’m firmly focused on changing the public health system for the sake of our future generations yet unborn.”

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