Over the past three months, Te Tiratū has continued to lead a powerful wave of Māori advocacy to ensure our people are not sidelined in national health reforms. This quarter has made one thing clear, iwi-led accountability is not just necessary, it is urgent. Our purpose remains unwavering. It is to protect Māori health rights, uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and ensure whānau voices drive the transformation of health services in our rohe.
Our first Monitoring Report, released in June 2025, revealed deep inequities that cannot be ignored. Whānau in our rohe especially in rural communities continue to face poorer outcomes due to cost, distance, cultural inaccessibility and long wait times. Screening participation for breast, cervical and bowel cancer remains below national targets, with many whānau unregistered or unable to access primary care. Critical gaps in data for immunisation, oral health, prostate screening and mental health services prevent true accountability. Delays for cancer treatment, surgery and specialist care are increasing, placing whānau at risk and making equity targets unattainable under the current system design.
Despite these inequities, system-level change is moving in the opposite direction. Our monitoring found that authentic iwi engagement in governance remains unmet, Te Tiriti obligations are being eroded, and Māori providers are still under-resourced and restricted by fragmented commissioning models. The disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora and upcoming Pae Ora amendments show a system shifting away from Māori decision-making at the very moment when accountability is most needed.
In this context, Te Tiratū has stepped forward with determination challenging decision-makers, presenting evidence community by community, and putting the lived realities of whānau at the centre of the national conversation. Our advocacy from July to September generated national media coverage, influenced policy discussions with our Position Statement on Rangatahi Mental Health and Diabetes & Podiatry and resulted in direct engagements with Te Whatu Ora, Minister and senior officials. We highlighted the real impacts of system reform on cancer treatment, mental health services and kaumātua care, making it clear that equity cannot be achieved without structural change.
A major milestone this quarter was researching our State of Māori Health Town Report series that will be released over the next four months. For the first time, iwi are independently mapping health access and service quality at a town level across our rohe. We are looking at Taumarunui, Te Kuiti, Thames, Paeroa, Tokoroa, Huntly and beyond. This data with our qualitative Whanau Voice insights is exposing local service gaps, surfacing real-time access barriers and will directly inform decisionmakers.
Today, Te Tiratū represents 121,300 Māori, over a quarter of the Waikato region. This gives us a powerful mandate to negotiate, influence, and protect Māori interests at the highest levels. Our role at the decision-making table is not symbolic; it is strategic, persistent and backed by evidence. We continue to meet regularly with Te Whatu Ora’s Māori leadership and key government officials to ensure that policies are accountable to the people they affect.
Our communications reach has also grown significantly. In July alone, more than 175,000 people engaged with Te Tiratū across Facebook, video storytelling and our new website platform. Māori media and mainstream outlets including RNZ, Stuff, Waatea and the National Business Review have amplified our voice, reinforcing the leadership and credibility of Te Tiratū on health equity.
This quarter has shown that when Māori are informed, united and resourced, we have the power to transform systems from the ground up. Te Tiratū is not waiting for change, we are leading it. The next Quarterly Monitoring Report of Te Whatu Ora will continue to hold the system to account and ensure that inequities, data gaps and access failures are visible and addressed.
Looking ahead, our focus remains on making sure that decisions made in Wellington reflect the realities of our people at home. Whānau voices will continue to drive our reports, shape national direction and guide our advocacy. Te Tiratū exists to ensure that our mokopuna inherit a health system that is equitable, culturally grounded and honours the rights and dignity of Māori for generations to come.