Today, Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board and Ngaa Pou Hauora oo Taamaki Makaurau Iwi Māori Partnership Board, representing over 210,000 whānau Māori, and partners in Rangitāmiro Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency gathered in Kirikiriroa for their first Board-to-Board hui to discuss the future of Māori health.
The kōrero focused on how the two IMPBs can work more closely together on hauora priorities and create future opportunities for Māori communities across Tainui waka rohe and Tāmaki Makaurau. One Board member reminded the rōpū, “The issues our whānau face don’t stop at regional boundaries. When we move together, our people are impossible to ignore.”
Legislative changes under the Pae Ora Bill and the statutory role of IMPBs were a major theme. There was strong consensus on charting an independent path forward that puts Māori voice and priorities at the centre of decision-making.
A key theme of the afternoon was mana motuhake, the power of designing health systems that reflect Māori realities. “We need to design systems for delivery that are inherently rooted in kaupapa Māori rather than being adjuncts to a system that was never built with the Māori experience of health in mind,” said one Board member. Another added, “We can’t wait for the system to decide what matters. We need to set the direction ourselves.”
The hui also highlighted the importance of joint advocacy and a stronger Māori voice. By working together with other Iwi Māori Partnership Boards, especially in high-population regions like Tāmaki Makaurau and Waikato, the collective scale of IMPBs strengthens national influence.
Aligning positions, sharing data, and producing joint communications ensures that both media and decision-makers cannot ignore the weight of Māori voices. As one participant noted, “Fragmentation weakens. Unity is what gives us mana.”
A significant discussion focused on how local priorities feed into national frameworks. Members explored the intersection between their Community Health Plans, the Hauora Ministerial Advisory Committee (HMAC), and the Government Policy Statement set by the Minister of Health.
As one board member explained, “Ideally, IMPBs set the final priorities through our Community Health Plans, HMAC puts those to the Minister, and those priorities become the Government’s priorities too.” This underscores the crucial role IMPBs play in ensuring whānau voices are not sidelined in policy and planning.
Both Boards also emphasised the need to move beyond deficit narratives. While inequities remain stark, the hui highlighted the importance of celebrating whānau successes and showcasing kaupapa Māori solutions already making a difference. “We are not just a story of struggle,” said one voice around the table. “We are innovators, we are resilient, and we already have answers that work.”
By the end of the hui, both Boards affirmed their commitment to Māori health priorities and keeping Whānau Voice at the centre. The message was clear, by staying strategic and united, the IMPBs will ensure Māori health priorities are carried strongly into national decision-making, with whānau voices shaping a system designed for them, not imposed upon them.