System change needed to break down barriers facing māmā and pēpi across the region - Āti Awa Toa IMPB
Persistent barriers facing Māori māmā and pēpi across the region highlights the urgent need for earlier, whānau-centred support. The report, Te Oranga o ngā Māmā me ngā Pēpi i tō tātou rohe 2018–2026, highlights ongoing inequities across pregnancy, birth and early life.
“This report makes clear the issue is not a lack of care from whānau but a system that is still too hard to access. We already know that when kaupapa Māori whānau-centred support is there, whānau engage and outcomes improve,” says Board Manahautū Hikitia Ropata.
Released by the Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board, with support from mana whenua iwi, the report brings together whānau voice and health and wellbeing data from 2018 to 2026 and shows where the system is falling short, and where kaupapa Māori approaches are making a difference.
“System change is needed to make sure our services work well for all families. If some families are being consistently underserved, then it’s time to change the system so it works well for all.”
“For too many Māori māmā and pēpi, getting the right support early is still an obstacle course. This report shows how delayed access to maternity care, poor or insecure housing, and low enrolment of newborn pēpi with primary care are stacking the odds against whānau from the start.”
The report shows barriers are ongoing across the journey from pregnancy through early life. For instance, in 2023, 12.9% of Māori were not enrolled with a lead maternity carer at any stage during their pregnancy. In 2024, Māori women in the rohe missed 28.9% of first specialist maternity appointments, compared with 3.5% for non-Māori, non- Pacific. It also shows inequities continue into early life. As of February 2026, whānau Māori in our rohe had the highest rates of tamariki not fully immunised at 24 months, at 8.8%. Tamariki Māori were also 1.3 times more likely than non-Māori non-Pacific children to experience an avoidable hospitalisation event in 2024.
The findings reinforce that these outcomes are shaped by barriers to access, cost, transport, housing and fragmented systems.
The report calls for:
- earlier engagement with māmā, particularly young māmā and those in high deprivation areas
- improved access to maternity and primary care
- more joined-up support across health, housing and social systems.
- investment in holistic, kaupapa Māori models which whānau use and trust.
Āti Awa Toa IMPB launches Whānau Voice Grants
Āti Awa Toa Iwi Māori Partnership Board has launched a new grants fund to support whānau, hapū, marae and kaupapa Māori organisations to share their lived experiences, insights, and solutions for improving hauora across the Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board rohe.
Four grants of $5,000 are available for kaupapa that centre whānau voice and help strengthen understanding of what is needed to improve health and wellbeing.
Applications open on 30 March 2026 and close at 9am on 4 May 2026.
Manahautū, Hikitia Ropata says the grants are about backing the knowledge that already exists within whānau and communities.
“Whānau understand their own health journeys. The insights that come from our homes, marae and communities are powerful, and they deserve to be heard and learned from. These grants are about supporting whānau to lead that kōrero in ways that work for them.”
The fund is designed to support a wide range of kaupapa Māori approaches. Projects could include hui, wānanga, storytelling, interviews, short films, creative projects, rangatahi or kaumātua conversations, digital storytelling, photography, art, or other community-led ways of gathering and sharing whakaaro.
“There is no single model applicants must follow. What matters most is that projects are grounded in kaupapa Māori, reflect lived experience, and help bring forward whānau voice,” said Ms Ropata.
Insights gathered through the funded projects will help inform future health planning and decision-making across the rohe.
Whānau, hapū, marae and kaupapa Māori organisations across the rohe are encouraged to share the opportunity through their own networks.
Applications open: 30 March 2026
Applications close: 4 May 2026
Funding available: Up to four grants of $5,000
For support or to request an application form, contact: grants@atiawatoaimpb.nz
New kaupapa places whānau Māori voice at the centre of Stroke and Gout research
The Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board has today launched a new research kaupapa focused on the experiences of whānau Māori affected by stroke and gout across the Wellington rohe.
Developed in partnership with Stroke Aotearoa and Arthritis New Zealand (Mateponapona Aotearoa), the research seeks to better understand how these long-term conditions impact whānau Māori – whether through personal experience or within the wider whānau.
A QR-code survey launched today invites whānau Māori to share lived experiences, challenges, and ideas for the kinds of services and supports that would make a real difference for them. The kaupapa has been developed collaboratively by researchers from all three organisations, with oversight from clinical experts.
Stroke and Gout disproportionately affect whānau Māori in the Wellington rohe, yet services are often fragmented and condition specific. This research aims to elevate whānau voice to inform more joined-up, community-based models of support that reflect the realities of whānau lives.
“Across all three organisations, a clear message has emerged – whānau voice must be heard, seen, and centred if we are to achieve better health outcomes,” says Hikitia Ropata, Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board’s Manahautū.
The launch aligns with Maurea in the Maramataka, a time associated with physical wellbeing and strengthening the body, reinforcing the kaupapa’s focus on long-term hauora.
Health providers, community organisations, and partners across the rohe are encouraged to share the survey with whānau Māori who may wish to participate, including through staff networks, clinical teams, and waiting areas.
A poster promoting the survey is available for use and sharing.
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Christine Ammunson Christine.ammunson@roheora.nz or 0274457333
Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board opposes moves to push vaping on Māori providers as rangatahi harm escalates
Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board opposes moves to push vaping on Māori providers as rangatahi harm escalates
The Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board is condemning moves to pressure Māori health providers into supplying vaping products as part of quit-smoking services, warning that it puts whānau health at risk and undermines kaupapa Māori approaches to hauora.
The board stands alongside Takiri Mai te Ata Trust, following Whatu Ora’s announcement threatening to end the trust’s smokefree contract if they don’t supply vaping devices.
“We fully support the Trust’s work to help whānau quit smoking in ways that are safe, sustainable, and aligned with their oranga values and kaupapa. Encouraging young people to remain addicted to nicotine is not a kaupapa we support,” said board Manahautū, Hikitia Ropata.
The board’s recently released Whānau Voice report showed whānau across the region were deeply concerned about the impact vaping was having on young people.
Takiri Mai te Ata Trust has supported whānau across Wellington, Porirua and Te Awa Kairangi for decades through culturally grounded stop-smoking programmes. The Trust has declined to distribute vaping products, citing concerns about nicotine addiction, rangatahi harm, and the normalisation of vaping in community and marae settings.
Ms Ropata says the reality on the ground and across communities is already clear.
“Our rangatahi are not quitting smoking and switching to vaping – most are starting out as vapers and have never smoked. Vapes are cheaper than cigarettes.”
Recent data shows that the highest vaping rates in Aotearoa are now among 14-year-old Māori girls.
“This is not harm reduction. This is government support for addiction.”
Ms Ropata says the Whaitua geo-mapping tool shows us vaping products are heavily concentrated in lower-income communities, with vape shops found close to kura and schools, making nicotine addiction highly visible and accessible to young people.
“Normalising vaping in our communities means siding with tobacco companies over our most vulnerable whānau, our tamariki and rangatahi.”
The Board is calling on the Government to work in partnership with providers, not against them.
“Māori health providers must be trusted to exercise kaupapa-based judgement informed by whānau voices.”
Whaitua Geo-Mapping Tool: https://reports.hqsc.govt.nz/
Whānau Voice Report: https://atiawatoaimpb.nz
For more information contact Christine Ammunson 0274457333 or christine.ammunson@roheora.nz
Kapa Haka and Connection Identified as Major Drivers of Oranga in Newly Released Whānau Voice Insights Report 2025
Kapa haka and the importance of connection emerged as major contributors to whānau oranga in the newly released Whānau Voice Insights Report 2025, with warnings about the impact vaping is having on rangatahi also highlighted.
“Whānau shared how kapa haka and connection uplift oranga – strengthening identity, whakapapa, te reo and a deep sense of belonging. They spoke of kapa haka as a source of pride and collective strength, and how connection to culture, whenua and trusted relationships are essential to oranga,” said Hikitia Ropata, Āti Awa Toa Hauora
Partnership Board Manahautū.
“At the same time, whānau raised concerns about vaping among rangatahi, the cost of dental care for adults, long waits and the lack of Māori-led services. Their voices should help guide decision makers: invest in what keeps whānau connected and thriving and challenge the barriers that hold whānau back.”
Whānau described kapa haka as strengthening identity, pride, te reo, whakapapa and whanaungatanga, while supporting discipline, fitness and deep mental and spiritual wellbeing (Te Ihi, Te Wehi, Te Wana).
“Across the region, whānau consistently emphasised the importance of connection – to culture, to whānau, to whenua and to trusted people within the health system.”
The report coincides with Māwharu in the Maramataka, a phase associated with Whakatau (mental wellbeing) and Whakaora (physical wellbeing).
“The themes shared by whānau align closely with the meaning of this phase: oranga is built through connection to each other, to culture, and to services that understand our realities,” said Ms Ropata.
Whānau insights were also gathered from kapa haka performers, support crews and whānau attending Te Matatini, confirming the deep cultural and social value kapa haka provides across our rohe.
Summary of Key Findings
Whānau identified several barriers that disrupt their connection to care, including high costs, long waits, transport challenges in rural areas, workforce shortages, and a lack of culturally safe, Māori-led services. Despite being enrolled with primary care, many still cannot access timely or affordable support, with access to mental health support particularly poor (60% reporting difficulties).
Whānau also raised strong concerns about rising vaping among rangatahi and the easy availability of vape products near kura. They want kaupapa Māori cessation pathways, tighter regulation, and earlier prevention efforts, delivered by trusted Māori providers.
Immunisation is generally supported, but hesitancy remains. Whānau prefer vaccinations delivered by Māori providers, in trusted places such as kura, kōhanga and marae, where connection drives engagement.
Across all findings, the message is consistent: strengthen connection to people, culture and place; invest in services by Māori, for Māori; and build a strong Māori workforce supported by prevention-focused, te ao Māori–grounded approaches. These insights provide clear direction for future commissioning and system change
Press Release - Ati Awa Toa Annual Report 2025
Āti Awa Toa IMPB releases 2024-2025 Annual Report: Whānau-led change and major data innovations
The Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board has released its 2024–2025 Annual Report, highlighting improvements across access, immunisation, early-years support, cultural safety, and the use of local data to drive better decision-making in the region.
Manahautū Hikitia Ropata says the results show both progress and urgency:
“We are beginning to see real movement in areas where there has been sustained effort – from rising immunisation rates to notable increases in cervical screening rates for Māori. These gains show what’s possible when focus and partnership align.”
Across the year, whānau shared clear priorities: timely access to care, affordability, cultural safety, and joined-up services close to home.
Māori pēpi immunisation increased sharply from 66% to 81%, while cervical screening for Māori rose from 56% to 71%.
“There is still a long way to go. Whānau continue to face long stays in ED, unacceptable wait times for first specialist appointments and elective surgery, cost barriers and long waits for primary and oral health care and inconsistent cultural safety. These are system issues, and they require system change.”
This year also marked the launch of two major tools:
- Whaitua – a geo-mapping tool that makes local data visible to whānau and oranga providers
- Monitoring for Oranga – a tikanga-bound framework redefining Māori wellbeing measures
“Whaitua has changed the landscape – it returns knowledge to the people it belongs to,” says Ropata.
“Developed with support from Te Tāhū Hauora, the Social Investment Agency and IMPBs across Aotearoa, the Whaitua geo-mapping tool is the first of its kind in Aotearoa.”
Ropata says the Board remains focused on its statutory role while closely monitoring proposed legislative changes.
“Any changes to the Pae Ora framework must strengthen, not weaken, Māori participation in health decision-making. Our communities expect solutions informed by evidence, including lived experience, and iwi leadership. Whānau outcomes can only improve when Māori are active partners in shaping systemic solutions that affect our lives.”
Ropata paid tribute to the mana whenua iwi of the region.
Tuatahi, tae atu ki ngā kaimahi – ngā mihi aroha ki a koutou i tō koutou kaha, i tā koutou tau toko i ēnei tau. Te Poari, Te Tai Toru ki Kāpiti, ki Parirua, tae atu ki Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Tai Toru: he hono tahi i ngā whānau, i ngā hapū, i ngā iwi me ngā hapori katoa.
“Our kaumatua Taku Parai reminded us this year that the three tides that flow onto each iwi’s shore – even at different tidal times – remain forever connected. They remind us of our shared whakapapa, our collective commitments and responsibilities, both great and small. These tides will never cease to echo the dreams and aspirations of our tūpuna: to strive, to seek, and to uphold Tino Rangatiratanga.”
Looking ahead to Matariki 2026, the Board will focus on expanding kaupapa-led care in every whaitua, strengthening workforce capability, and ensuring equitable investment informed by whānau experience and local data.
The full report is available at: www.atiawatoaimpb.nz
Health Planning Without a Compass: IMPB Calls on MPs to Rethink Pae Ora Amendments
PRESS RELEASE
Health Planning Without a Compass: IMPB Calls on MPs to Rethink Pae Ora Amendments
MPs are being asked to rethink a key clause in the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill, with the Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board warning that the change would strip away the strategic compass guiding Aotearoa’s health system.
Manahautū Hikitia Ropata says the amendment removes the requirement for the Government Policy Statement (GPS) to consider any national health strategy and poses a risk to equity and long-term planning.
“This clause allows every health strategy to be ignored – Māori, Pacific, disability, women’s, rural, mental health, even the New Zealand Health Strategy itself,” Ropata says.
“If you strip out strategy, you strip out evidence. And without evidence, the health system loses its compass.”
Ropata says most people will not realise what has been lost until the effects become visible in worsening inequities.
“Technical changes can remake a system quietly, without public scrutiny. MPs need to look very closely at what it means to plan national health priorities with no reference to evidence, population trends, or communities most affected.”
Last Friday, the Health Select Committee recommended that the Bill be passed. But the Board says this particular clause requires urgent reconsideration.
“This amendment breaks the link between long-term health planning and the political direction of the day,” Ropata says.
“It means IMPBs could be left monitoring ongoing inequities the Government Policy Statement is not even required to consider addressing.”
The Board notes that its region – Kāpiti, Porirua, Te Awa Kairangi and Pōneke – is seeing rising immunisation rates amongst whānau thanks to iwi-led and kaupapa Māori providers.
“We pay tribute to our mana whenua iwi, Te Āti Awa and Ngāti Toa Rangatira. Progress is happening because evidence and Māori insights are finally being taken seriously. Removing this safeguard undermines that progress and weakens the Crown’s Te Tiriti obligations.”
The Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board is urging MPs across all parties to pause, reconsider, and amend the clause before the Bill progresses further.
“New Zealanders deserve a health system guided by evidence and shaped with communities — not one drifting without direction,” Ropata says.
“A system without a compass does not drift by accident. It drifts straight back toward the inequities we have spent generations trying to fix.”
ENDS
Hikitia Ropata (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Porou) is the Manahautū of the Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board, which monitors health system performance across Kāpiti, Porirua, Te Awa Kairangi and Pōneke. She has worked in Māori health and public health strategy, leading iwi–Crown partnership development and equity-focused system change.
Whānau Voice Insights from the Strathmore Health Expo
Whānau Voice: Insights from the Strathmore Health Expo
October’s successful Strathmore Health Expo brought together local health services, whānau, and community leaders for a day focused on connection, hauora, and trust. We were there to listen – and whānau told us what really matters. From our kōrero with locals, three clear insights came through:
Accessibility and trust matter most. Whānau are more likely to attend when services are free, local, and recommended by people they trust – like a community leader or family member.
Cultural safety and respect are essential. Services that feel Māori-led, mana-enhancing, and genuinely listen to people’s realities make a big difference.
Holistic wellbeing remains a top priority. Mental health, chronic conditions, and ageing continue to be areas of concern, with whānau asking for more mental health, social, and cultural support options.
These findings remind us that good health begins with good relationships – grounded in manaakitanga, connection, and listening.
Download or view the Whānau Voice poster below to see the full summary of insights
Clarification of our position on the Pae Ora Amendment Bill
08 August 2025
Recent comments by the Minister of Health suggesting that the Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board supports the new Pae Ora Amendment Bill are incorrect.
“Like our tūpuna, we are pragmatic leaders. We will engage with the structures and processes in front of us to achieve the best outcomes for our people — but this should not be mistaken for blanket support of decisions we had no part in,” said Manahautū, Hikitia Ropata.
“Our press release of 18 August 2025 welcomed the opportunity to work with the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee (HMAC) to strengthen Māori health leadership and improve health outcomes for our communities. It did not express support for the Bill,
nor did it endorse any legislative changes.”
Ms Ropata confirmed the IMPB will be making a formal submission before the 15 August deadline and encourage iwi, whānau, and hapori to add their voices by making submissions of their own.
“We remain committed to working with HMAC and all partners in ways that uphold the rights and wellbeing of our people, while reserving the right to form our own view on any legislation once we have fully considered its detail and implications.”
Short course for hauora Māori providers on Hapai Te Reo Turi
Te Roopu Waiora are offering a short session from a turi community leader on Māori sign language.