New voice for mātāwaka
He kanohi hou, he reo hou ki te tēpu.
We warmly welcome Chook Norgate to our Board as our new mātāwaka representative.
I tipu ake ia ki Whakatū, Chook joins us with his whānau firmly at the heart of what he does and a strong commitment to hauora Māori and the voices of mātāwaka across Te Tauihu.
We are privileged to have his whakaaro, lived experience and connection to our communities around the tēpu, and warmly welcome him to the kaupapa.
Over to Chook …
Kei ngā hau tipua o te rohe nei, tēnā koutou. Mā koutou te hau e pupuhi ana, kia kore ai te hauora o te rohe, e tāngaongao.
Nā koutou te huruhuru i rere pai ai tēnei manu pī o Rāhiri. Nā reira, he iti tāku iti, e haere runga i ngā hau o Tāwhiri kia pā ki Maungataniwha,ā, ka tāwharau ki Te Tauihu.
Tēnei te manu pī o Rāhiri, ka mihi atu ki ngā hau tīpua o te rohe nei. Tēnā koutou.
I’m humbled to sit protected by the hau tipua of Te Tauihu, and carry the voice of mātāwaka, ensuring that this voice is heard and advocated for within the broader kaupapa of positive, meaningful, and intergenerational hauora outcomes for Ngāi Māori.
Tēnā tātou katoa.
Whānau Voice 2.0: You shared your voice. Here’s what we heard.
Hundreds of whānau from across Te Tauihu have shared their experiences of hauora with us. Now we’re taking that kōrero forward.
Between December 2025 and June 2026, 584 whānau took part in Whānau Voice 2.0, sharing what is working well within the health system, where things are difficult, and what they want to see change.
More than 800 pieces of kōrero were shared alongside the survey responses. We read and considered every one.
He mihi nui ki a koutou katoa who gave your time, shared your whakaaro and trusted us with your experiences.
Some of what we heard was positive. Whānau told us about health professionals who listen and care, relationships built on trust, and kaupapa Māori providers making a real difference.
But we also heard about the barriers whānau continue to face.
Cost. Long waits. Travelling to get care. Trying to work out where to go next. Services that don’t always talk to each other. And whānau having to become advocates, navigators, carers and co-ordinators to make sure the people they love get the care they need.
One whakaaro came to capture much of what we heard: “Equity may not always be experienced as receiving more, but as being left to carry less.”
Click the cover to read the full Whānau Voice 2.0 Report.
What whānau want to see change
Whānau told us healthcare needs to work better around their lives.
That means care that is easier to access and navigate. Earlier support before people reach crisis point. Stronger kaupapa Māori services. A supported Māori health workforce. Better communication between different parts of the health system. And care that recognises hauora is about more than a clinical appointment.
Te ao Māori, rongoā, whānau relationships, housing, education, transport, income and connection to community all play a part in our health and wellbeing.
The report makes ten recommendations based on what whānau told us, from designing services around whānau lives and investing in kaupapa Māori models of care, through to changing how services are commissioned and building a more connected health system.
So, what happens now?
Publishing Whānau Voice 2.0 is not the end of the mahi. As the Iwi Māori Partnership Board for Te Tauihu, our job is to make sure the voices of whānau reach the people making decisions about health services, funding and planning.
Over the coming months, we will use what you have told us to guide our advocacy and our work with the health system, Hauora Māori providers, iwi and other partners.
We’ll also soon begin the next round of Whānau Voice.
That matters because we don’t just want to know what things look like today. We want to keep listening, monitor what changes and, over time, be able to answer a very simple question: Is it getting better for whānau?
And you don’t need to wait for the next round of Whānau Voice to talk to us. If you have an experience with the health system, an issue you think we should know about, or something you want to kōrero about, you can contact our Whānau Voice Lead at any time.
To every whānau member who shared their time, whakaaro and experiences with us: ngā mihi nui. Your kōrero has shaped this mahi. Now it’s our job to carry it forward.
A morning with the NPHS
Getting out and talking to people about our mahi is always a highlight.
Last week, Pouwhakahaere Kim Ngawhika was invited to speak at the Matariki event for the National Public Health Service - Te Tauihu | Nelson Marlborough.
We gave an update of our work and shared context around Whānau Voice and why listening matters, acknowledging that every day our NPHS kaimahi are at the forefront of delivering critical programmes within their communities.
A huge mihi to Felicity Spencer, NPHS, Te Tauihu Community & Whānau Wellbeing Manager, for the invitation, Vince Barry, NPHS Regional Director Te Waipounamu, and the entire NPHS team.
Ngā Matapihi o te Wairua
Last month, Nelson Bays Primary Health hosted Ngā Matapihi o te Wairua, a national forum that brings together Māori leaders from across primary health care to strengthen relationships, share knowledge, and collectively advance equitable health outcomes for whānau Māori.
The two-day hui began with a pōwhiri at Whakatū Marae, followed by a thought-provoking discussion on the Nelson Tenths, providing important historical context, and a tour of sites of significance, where attendees heard local kōrero and gained a deeper understanding of the stories, people, and places that have shaped Whakatū.
Day two was dedicated to the work of the forum, with leaders discussing current priorities, emerging opportunities, and the evolving primary health landscape.
Ngā Matapihi o te Wairua is supported by General Practice New Zealand (GPNZ) and includes Māori health leaders from Primary Health Organisations (PHOs), Hauora Māori providers, and Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand. Its purpose is to strengthen Māori leadership in primary care and collectively advocate for better health outcomes for whānau Māori.
The group's work is guided by values including:
- Tika, pono, aroha (integrity, honesty, compassion)
- Kotahitanga (unity)
- Whanaungatanga (relationships and connectedness)
- Tautoko te tahi ki te tahi (supporting one another)
- Āwhinatia (helping and uplifting others)
Rather than being a conference or one-off event, Ngā Matapihi o te Wairua is an ongoing national network. Members meet regularly for wānanga and hui to discuss Māori health priorities, share innovations, influence policy, and strengthen relationships across the primary health sector.
Pēpi Ora – Supporting Māmā, Pēpi and Whānau
Maataa Waka ki Te Tauihu will this month deliver their first Pēpi Ora Wānanga at Omaka Marae.
The new initiative is being delivered across Te Tauihu to support the wellbeing of māmā, pēpi, and whānau during one of life’s most important journeys.
The programme provides holistic support throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period, helping māmā build confidence, strengthen connections, and access the care they need to thrive. Support is delivered through wānanga, structured hui, one-to-one mentoring, and wraparound care for māmā experiencing anxiety, postnatal challenges, or adjustment to parenthood.
At the heart of Pēpi Ora is whanaungatanga. The programme creates opportunities for whānau to connect with others, learn new skills, share experiences, and build supportive relationships that continue long after the programme ends.
For more information, see here or email Kowhai ([email protected]).
Clinical Lead
Clinical Lead
Whakatū, preferred – but negotiable
Fixed term: Now – July 31, 2027
Te Kāhui Hauora o Te Tauihu IMPB has a vacancy for a Clinical Lead to provides clinical leadership across Te Kāhui Hauora, ensuring that whānau voice informs clinical thinking, service improvement, and system transformation.
Working alongside the Pouwhakahaere and Whānau Voice Lead, the Clinical Lead provides clinical leadership to support the implementation of Te Kāhui Hauora's Community Health Plan. By interpreting Whānau Voice through a clinical lens and working collaboratively across the health system, the Clinical Lead helps translate strategic priorities into practical improvements that enhance the health and wellbeing of whānau across Te Tauihu.
The Clinical Lead will represent Te Kāhui Hauora within clinical and sector forums, building trusted relationships with Health New Zealand, Primary Health Organisations, clinicians, providers, iwi, and community partners. The role works across organisational boundaries to influence clinical pathways, improve equity, and support more integrated, whānau-centred models of care.
Rather than providing direct clinical services, the Clinical Lead acts as the bridge between the experiences of whānau and the clinical systems that shape their healthcare journeys, ensuring that whānau voice informs operational direction, service improvement, and strategic decision-making.
Success in this role will be reflected not only in stronger clinical relationships, but in measurable improvements against Te Kāhui Hauora's Community Health Plan and the experiences of whānau as captured through the annual Whānau Voice survey.
Ngā āhuatanga | About you
- Current registration and Annual Practising Certificate in an appropriate health profession.
- Extensive experience working within the New Zealand health system.
- Demonstrated clinical leadership and experience leading or contributing to quality improvement or service redesign initiatives.
- Strong understanding of health pathways across primary, community, hospital, and kaupapa Māori health services.
- Experience working collaboratively with Māori communities and kaupapa Māori organisations.
- Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its application within health.
- Knowledge of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 and the role of Iwi Māori Partnership Boards is desirable.
- Able to translate complex clinical issues into practical advice and action.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Committed to kaupapa Māori, equity, and continuous improvement.
If this sounds like you, please email a cover letter and your CV to Pouwhakahaere Kim Ngawhika at [email protected] by Friday, July 25, 2026.
Whānau Voice Lead
Whānau Voice Lead
Whakatū, preferred – but negotiable
Fixed term: Now – July 31, 2027
Te Kāhui Hauora o Te Tauihu IMPB is on the lookout for a Whānau Voice Lead to support our Whānau Voice programme and ensure the lived experiences, aspirations, and voices of whānau remain central to the organisation's planning, monitoring, and improvement activities.
Working closely with iwi, marae, hauora providers, and community partners, the Whānau Voice Lead co-ordinates the ongoing delivery of the Whānau Voice programme, including engagement, survey implementation, thematic analysis, reporting, communications, and monitoring.
As well as working to develop and maintain trusted relationships with iwi, hapū, marae, hauora providers, and whānau, the Whānau Voice lead will:
- Actively participate in the collection of Whānau Voice through surveys, interviews, hui, case studies, community events, and engagement activities across Te Tauihu.
- Co-ordinate commissioning arrangements with iwi and community partners where appropriate.
- Build and maintain trusted relationships that encourage meaningful participation from whānau.
- Maintain high standards of data quality, confidentiality, cultural safety, and integrity.
- Support iwi-led approaches to gathering Whānau Voice.
- Maintain visibility within communities by regularly participating in iwi, marae, provider, and community events.
- Prepare reports, summaries, presentations, dashboards, and briefing material.
- Identify emerging themes, trends, and opportunities for improvement.
We are looking for someone who:
- Holds a relevant tertiary qualification in public health, research, community development, Māori development, social sciences, or a related discipline.
- Has experience co-ordinating research, surveys, or community engagement programmes.
- Has experience collecting, organising, and analysing qualitative and quantitative information.
- Has experience working with iwi, marae, kaupapa Māori organisations, and Māori communities.
- Holds a strong understanding of kaupapa Māori approaches to engagement.
- Experience preparing reports, presentations, and communicating complex information clearly.
- Knowledge of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 and the role of Iwi Māori Partnership Boards is desirable.
- Displays strong interpersonal skills.
- Holds deep respect for whānau stories and lived experience.
- Culturally grounded, empathetic, and collaborative.
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Passionate about improving hauora Māori outcomes.
- Committed to continuous learning and improvement.
If this sounds like you, please email a cover letter and your CV to Pouwhakahaere Kim Ngawhika at [email protected] by Friday, July 25, 2026.
Ngā Ara Hauora o Te Whānau o Te Tauihu
Across Te Tauihu o te Waka-a-Māui, Māori experience persistent health inequities rooted in the
structural legacies of colonisation. This life course snapshot illustrates the cumulative impacts across key stages of life and identifies opportunities for meaningful change.
Stay protected against pertussis
Pertussis (whooping cough) is an illness we need to protect against. It is highly contagious and can cause serious harm to pēpi and older adults. A pertussis epidemic, which was declared in November 2024, is ongoing in Aotearoa New Zealand with significant numbers of people continuing to be affected across the motu.
Antenatal immunisations are free and are recommended from 16 weeks of every pregnancy. Pertussis boosters are also given at 11 years, 45 years (if fewer than four tetanus doses previously), and 65 years in addition to the routine childhood immunisation schedule.
Immunisation is available from your GP, Hauora Māori service, by many midwives, or at most vaccinating pharmacies.
Health funding warning
Kaitiaki Hauora released new economic analysis ahead of Budget 2026, warning New Zealand’s public healthcare system remains significantly underfunded, with planned increases in health spending unlikely to meaningfully improve access to care. The analysis found New Zealand spends around $1.1 billion less per year on health than comparable OECD countries with similar public healthcare systems.
The Government announced $1.370 billion in additional health funding for the coming year in Budget 2026, equivalent to $5.48 billion over four years. However, the report shows much of that increase is likely to be absorbed by rising costs, population growth and demographic pressures.
A pre-Budget Cabinet paper also indicated new and expanded services are expected to be funded from within that same allocation. According to Kaitiaki Hauora, that means many existing services are likely to remain under pressure, with current challenges across the health system expected to continue or intensify.