Whakaata Māori has reported on opposition from Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board to changes proposed in the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Amendment Bill, which has now passed its second reading in Parliament but is not yet law.
Te Tiratū says the amendments would weaken the role of Iwi Māori Partnership Boards and sideline iwi authority within the health system. The boards were established under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 to ensure Māori communities have a formal role in health planning, priorities, and accountability.
Te Tiratū Co-Chair Tipa Mahuta said the proposed changes would dilute the influence of iwi in health decision-making and weaken the protections intended to give effect to Te Tiriti within the health system.
“This government talks about strengthening Māori voices, but these amendments sideline our authority. Iwi Māori Partnership Boards exist to ensure equity and accountability in health, not just to provide advice when convenient. We need genuine power, not paper pathways,” Mahuta said.
Mahuta said weakening Section 30 of the Act would reduce Māori decision-making and strip away important protections linked to Te Tiriti. She said evidence gathered through Te Tiratū’s work shows that iwi-led planning improves access, outcomes, and efficiency across health services.
“Our reports clearly show that iwi-led solutions improve access, outcomes, and efficiency across health services. From chronic disease management to cancer screening, the evidence demonstrates that local, Māori-led planning works. Yet the proposed reforms ignore this capability entirely.”