Ngāti Kahungunu Establishes Own Māori Health Authority to Address Crisis

The iwi of Ngāti Kahungunu, located on New Zealand’s North Island East Coast, has announced plans to establish its own Māori health authority. This initiative aims to address ongoing health disparities facing the iwi’s members. According to Bayden Barber, chair of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, the new authority will provide a platform for equity and healing within the community.

Barber described the health authority as a reclamation of the right to design and deliver health solutions that align with Māori values. “It’s a reclamation of our right to design and deliver health solutions that reflect our tikanga, our whakapapa and our vision for thriving whānau,” he stated. The authority, named Te Toka Tū Moana o Ngāti Kahungunu, will focus on a holistic, whānau-centred approach to health care.

Barber emphasized the significance of the name, suggesting that it symbolizes stability and endurance. “Te Toka Tū Moana o Ngāti Kahungunu is, as the name says, an anchor stone that will endure,” he noted. He also highlighted the rights outlined in both Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Ngāti Kahungunu Declaration of Rights, which affirm the iwi’s entitlement to self-determination in health matters.

The decision to create this health authority follows the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora, a Māori health authority that prompted various regions to pursue their own health solutions. With a population of approximately 97,751, Ngāti Kahungunu is New Zealand’s third-largest iwi. Recently, the iwi engaged in a two-month roadshow to consult with its members across the region and urban areas.

Barber expressed concerns regarding the health and wellbeing of the community, stating, “Our people are concerned about the health and well-being of their whānau.” He highlighted issues such as social isolation among the elderly and mental health struggles faced by youth. Many whānau are also finding it challenging to access affordable health care when needed.

The establishment of this new health authority is seen as a crucial first step towards a brighter health future for Ngāti Kahungunu. According to Stats NZ, life expectancy for Māori remains lower than for other ethnic populations in New Zealand. Barber characterized the situation as a crisis within the nation’s health sector, noting, “We have relied on the mainstream system for decades, yet our Kahungunu statistics in every health category continue to languish behind non-Māori.”

He added that the initiative represents a commitment to prioritizing the health of their people, offering hope for longer and healthier lives. Chrissie Hape, chief executive of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi and former chair of Health Hawke’s Bay, echoed these sentiments. She pointed out that many whānau are “suffering in silence,” with an estimated 9,000 Māori whānau in Hawke’s Bay not enrolled in a general practice.

Hape criticized the current state of primary care access, emphasizing that it is unacceptable for whānau to struggle to obtain basic health services in 2025. She noted the alarming number of individuals seeking emergency care across the region as evidence of the system’s failures. “We must do better,” Hape asserted.

The newly established health authority represents a pivotal moment for Ngāti Kahungunu, as they take proactive steps to address the health crisis impacting their community. By placing their health decisions in the hands of their own people, they aim to reshape the future of health care for generations to come.