Kia tūpato
The National Public Health Service in Nelson-Marlborough (part of Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand) is carrying out enhanced surveillance for cases of illness that may be associated with the recent flooding events.
There has been an increase in cases notified to the Nelson-Marlborough public health service of gastrointestinal illnesses, though numbers overall are small. Case investigations show a variety of flood-associated exposures, but it cannot be confirmed if the increase is directly related to contaminated drinking water from the flood events, contact with contaminated water or land, or from other sources such as food.
The Tasman District Council’s reticulated schemes have been tested, and there are no concerns about the quality of water from those sources.
However:
- All bore water owners have been advised to boil their water as a precaution.
- If you have received a ‘boil water notice’, instructions are here.
- People on council rural water supplies should check the council website for advice.
New dialysis unit for Wairau
Capturing whānau voice often comes with heartbreaking and frustrating stories. Last year, we heard from a whānau member undergoing dialysis treatment who faced significant challenges due to the lack of local facilities. He had to drive two hours each way to receive treatment, spending the entire day away from home. During the pandemic, it was just him, on his own, with whānau not permitted to accompany him.
It was with tears that the Board heard that a new dialysis unit would go ahead in Blenheim, providing life-changing support for local patients and their families closer to home. Because we know that this man was not the only one in his position.
It takes many to bring about change. The new four-chair dialysis unit is a true example of kotahitanga, bringing together Health New Zealand, Marlborough Primary Health, closely supported by local iwi, Te Kāhui Hauora, and Te Piki Oranga. It reflects a shared commitment to delivering services that are responsive and locally led.
The facility also highlights the generosity of the Marlborough community. A number of local charities and philanthropic trusts have stepped up to fund dialysis chairs, TVs, resuscitation kits, heat pumps, and other vital equipment. Contributors include the Care Foundation, Marlborough Hospital Equipment Trust, with other interest expressed by Rātā Foundation, Churchill Trust, Lotteries, and Marlborough District Council, which provided both a cash grant and a fee waiver for the resource consent.
The unit is expected to open in October 2025.
Read more here.
Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill
Last month, Te Kāhui Hauora learned through the media that Cabinet had approved broad changes to the Pae Ora Act (2022), under which Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards were established.
The Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill has now been introduced to Parliament.
It contains sweeping changes and removes key health sector principles, including “… the health sector should be equitable, which includes ensuring Māori and other population groups have access to services in proportion to their health needs; and receive equitable levels of service; and achieve equitable health outcomes.”
The first reading is expected this week, with a submissions process to follow. Health Minister Simeon Brown has indicated he wants the new legislation in place by the end of the year 2025.
Te Kāhui Hauora consider the new bill an abrupt departure from what was intended when IMPBs were established, and from assurances given under the previous health minister, Shane Reti, as to the future of IMPBs.
We have outlined some of the key amendments below.
Key amendments:
- Reshapes the role, function and mandate of IMPBs: IMPBs will no longer be required to evaluate local Māori health, work with Te Whatu Ora and monitor the performance of local services.
- Redefines the purpose of IMPBs to focus on localised representation.
- Requires IMPBs to report to the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee, rather than Health NZ.
- Removes the requirement for Health NZ to engage with IMPBs when setting kaupapa Māori investment priorities.
- Ends Health NZ’s statutory requirement to work directly with IMPBs.
- Maintains a support obligation to IMPBs and provision of information to Māori, but not active collaboration.
- Elevates HMAC’s advisory role to include both Minister and Health NZ.
- Imposes a requirement for Health NZ to consider HMAC’s advice.
- Establishes HMAC as the system interface for Māori community insights.
- In the amended act’s name, the order of the Māori and English language terms would be reversed to become the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Act 2022.
- Removes health sector principles, including “… the health sector should be equitable, which includes ensuring Māori and other population groups have access to services in proportion to their health needs; and receive equitable levels of service; and achieve equitable health outcomes.”
- Appointment requirements for the Public Health Advisory Committee are being changed. The committee will no longer be collectively required to have expertise in population health, health equity, te Tiriti, epidemiology, health intelligence, health surveillance, health promotion, health protection and preventative health.
If any of our stakeholders would like further information, please let us know and we will look at providing an online space to discuss the submissions process.
Hot tips for winter
Te Piki Oranga has you covered this winter. Their WhareOra/Healthy Homes services are offered across Whakatū, Tasman and Wairau and are aimed at ensuring tamariki are living in warm, dry homes and not getting sick all winter.
This winter, the Whare Ora team in Wairau have collated some easy wins when it comes to winter heating. Have a look here and stay warm e te whānau.
Mānawatia a Matariki mā Puanga
Matariki marks a time to reflect on the past, honour those who have passed, and set intentions for the year ahead. It is also a time to reset our focus on hauora—not just physical health, but the wellbeing of whānau, wairua, hinengaro and whenua.
Within this, rongoā Māori—our traditional healing practices—remind us of the deep connection between people, land, and wellbeing. As Matariki rises, we are called to uphold mātauranga Māori in the health system, to restore balance, and to support pathways of healing that reflect our own values and tikanga.
At Te Kāhui Hauora, this season renews our commitment to equity, to listening to whānau, and to advocating for a system that nourishes the mauri of our people.
It was a beautiful weekend here in Te Tauihu as whānau and communities from Mohua to Wairau came together to celebrate Matariki. After a rough year politically, it was heartening to see so many from our communities wholeheartedly embracing Matariki, eager to learn and support.
Hundreds turned out for a public hautapu ceremony hosted by Rangitāne o Wairau, while in Whakatū, thousands attended the regional secondary school kapa haka competition, Taku Kara Tīpuna, at the Trafalgar Centre, and thousands more joined later in the day for Te Huihui-o-Matariki 2025. The Matariki event at Waikawa Marae was another chance for the community to come together and the hautapu ceremony at Wairau Pā, hosted by Ngāti Rārua o Te Wairau Society and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua, was also a beautiful occasion.
For Te Kāhui Hauora, the year ahead brings further change as we await to hear more about the Coalition Government’s proposed changes to the Pae Ora Act (2022), under which Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards were established.
Earlier this year, we farewelled Pouwhakahaere Patricia Joseph as well as board members Patrick Smith and Vicky Thorn. We thank them for all their mahi in mapping out a path forward for Te Kāhui Hauora.
As we continue work to achieve better hauora outcomes for whānau Māori in Te Tauihu, please feel free to get in touch and keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities to make your voice heard on our local health system.
Ngā mihi nui o te Tau Hou Māori.
Naomi Solomon
Pouwhakahaere Chief Executive Officer (Interim)
Focused on the future
It was great news for Te Piki Oranga and all of us who use their services with the announcement that it will realise a long-held dream to bring services in Whakatū and Waimeha together at a new health hub in Stoke.
The new hub will be at 199 Nayland Road, at the former ‘Otumarama’ site in Stoke. Renovations and site improvements are under way and it should be ready by November. You can read more about it here.
‘Whītikitaua ... that’s us, wāhine mā!’
Wāhine toa from Te Piki Oranga, Rangitāne o Wairau, Waikawa Marae, the Māori Women’s Welfare League, Hawaiki Kura, and the Pasifika Trust recently came together to share a collective message of care and commitment to whānau wellbeing with the campaign: ‘Whītiki taua ... that’s us, wāhine mā!’
“We are saying ‘Whītiki taua … that’s us, wāhine mā!’ as a call to action to all the māmā, nannies, sisters, aunties, cousins, and besties to check in with each other,” said Lorraine Staunton, Kaiwhakahaere Ratonga at Te Piki Oranga.
“Let’s make sure we're up to date with our breast screening,” Lorraine says. “Let’s book our appointments and show up together, knowing that Te Piki Oranga is there to awhi you through the experience. Because when breast cancer is found early, it can be treated. That’s the truth.”
In Te Tauihu, the screening rates are:
- Wāhine Māori: 68.3%
- Pasifika wāhine: 53.6%
- Non-Māori, non-Pasifika women: 77.1%
New board members
Te Kāhui Hauora has welcomed two new faces to the board.
Rebecca Mason is the new representative for Ngāti Kuia, while Irihāpeti Mahuika joins us as the representative for Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō.
To read more more about our board members, see here.
Community Health Plan
Te Kāhui Hauora finalised our Community Health Plan (CHP), Te Whakamahere Hauora o Te Tauihu, in late 2024. The plan discusses our approach in gathering, analysing, and determining hauora priorities and outcomes as well as our methods for monitoring these priorities.
After extensive engagement with whānau across the rohe in 2024, Te Kāhui Hauora set the following priorities for the next two to five years.
Clinical priorities
1/ Mental Health and well-being
2/ Cancer services
3/ Access to high-quality care and experiences for whānau
4/ Workforce development and capability
Community priorities
1/ Cultural connection
2/ Rongoā services
3/ Health Literacy
Te Kāhui Hauora look forward to working together with health authorities and whānau to achieve the objectives set out in the Community Health Plan.
Pūrongo ā-tau | Annual Report
I runga i te mana o Te Kāhui Hauora, e hiahia ana mātou ki te tuku mihi ki te hunga katoa i tautoko mai i te
tīmatanga. Ahakoa ngā wero i te ara, kua tutuki pai mātou, ā, me tuku mihi ki ngā whānau puta noa i tō mātou rohe mō ō rātou kōrero me ō rātou whakaaro. He tohu tēnei pūrongo mō te hunga katoa i whai wāhi mai ki tō mātou tipu.
Tēnei te mihi rawa atu ki a koutou katoa.
As we release this Pūrongo ā-tau | Annual Report, the Poari would like to extend a mihi to mātāwaka and the eight iwi of Te Tauihu, for their support from our inception, through our young history and for their continued support as we grow in the hauora space.
We would also like to extend a mihi to the whānau in Te Tauihu for their invaluable contributions to our whānau voice engagements. Your willingness to share your experiences, needs, and aspirations has been instrumental in guiding our work and ensuring that we remain responsive to the communities we serve.
We also wish to express our deep appreciation to the dedicated hauora Māori providers in Te Tauihu. Your engagement, collaboration and hard work is essential in supporting the well-being of our communities. We recognise and appreciate all the efforts made by those who continue to support and uplift whānau across the rohe.
We are grateful for the strong partnerships with the two local primary health organisations, Hauora Marua ki Te Tai Aorere Nelson Bays Primary Health and Kimi Hauora Wairau Marlborough Primary Health. Your support of our communities in particular is crucial in advancing our shared goals for health and well-being in Te Tauihu.
Please take the time to have a read of our inaugural Pūrongo ā-tau | Annual Report, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any patai.
Mauri ora!