Puhikura, New Zealand Police’s new recruitment campaign designed to attract
wāhine Māori, was launched this evening on Te Marae, Te Papa.

Commissioner of Police Andrew Coster says wāhine Māori are the most
under-represented demographic in Police and the new campaign sets out to
change that.

“Māori must be fully represented within our organisation to ensure we
represent and serve our whole community.”

New Zealand Police acknowledges the need for more wāhine Māori to join
—because of the unique skills and understanding they can bring to keeping
their communities safe.

I am proud to launch Puhikura, which has had the input and support of my
Māori Focus Forum and which embraces a Te Ao Māori approach of
story-telling.”

Made by wāhine Māori for wāhine Māori, the candid documentary series
champions the power of stories as taonga. These five wāhine reflect on what
calls them forward and holds them back as they consider a career with Police.

Since 2017 Police has been actively recruiting a more diverse workforce to
ensure that every ethnicity in New Zealand is fairly represented.

Recruitment of Māori has improved overall, with a 30 percent increase in
constabulary who are Māori, and 60 percent increase of wāhine Māori.
However, wāhine Māori still comprise only 3.6 percent of the Police,
despite making up 8.4 percent of New Zealand population.

This launch comes after reaching the milestone of a 25 percent female
constabulary workforce, achieved with the graduation of Wing 354 this month,
and in advance of the graduation of Wing 355, which has the highest-ever
proportion of Māori recruit members.

The name Puhikura was gifted by Rahui Papa of Waikato Tainui, a member of the
Commissioner’s Māori Focus Forum.

“The name Puhikura means a woman of renown, mana wāhine, a settler of
peace, a beacon of unity. It also refers to a prized taonga, which is fitting
for these stories.

"Puhikura is absolutely appropriate to encourage the participation of
maareikura (chiefly women) into the NZ Police.” says Rahui.

Immediate Past president of the Māori Women’s Welfare League, Prue Kapua
says “We are able to work with the New Zealand Police and have input to
achieve the solutions that we want to see for our wāhine and their
whānau… League members are embedded in the communities so we know our
communities, we can work with our people.”

The wāhine of Puhikura share their experiences as both inspiration, and a
contribution to cultural healing, connection, and growing trust. It is hoped
their stories can inspire more wāhine Māori interested in joining Police.

Following the launch, there will be a series of community events throughout
the country where wahine, their whanau and friends can view the documentary
and korero with our recruitment officers about becoming a police officer.

For more information, please go to newcops.co.nz Newcops from 7pm tonight.

Kua whakarewahia e Ngā Pirihimana o Aotearoa a Puhikura, te whakatairanga
kimi ika tauhou hōu

I whakarewahia a Puhikura, te whakatairanga kimi ika tauhou hōu a Ngā
Pirihimana o Aotearoa kia tōia ngā wāhine Māori, i tēnei ahiahitanga i
Te Marae, ki Te Papa.

Hei tā te Kōmihana o Ngā Pirihimana, a Andrew Coster, ko ngā wāhine
Māori ngā tatauranga iwi kāore e tino kitea ki Ngā Pirihimana, ā, e
tūmanako ana tēnei whakatairanga kia panoni i tēra.

“Me kite whānui te iwi Māori i roto i tō mātou tōpūtanga kia mōhio e
whakakanohi, e whakaratongia ana e mātou te hapori katoa.”

E mōhiohiotia ana e Ngā Pirihimana te hiahia nui o ngā wāhine Māori kia
uru atu - nā ngā pūkenga motuhake, ngā māramatanga kei a rātou kia
whakahaumaru i ō rātou hapori.

E poho kererū ana au ki te whakarewa i a Puhikura, kua whai wāhi mai, kua
tautokohia e tōku Rōpū Aronga Māori, ā, e tauawhi ana i tētahi aronga
Māori ki ngā kōrero.”

Nā ngā wāhine Māori i hanga mō ngā wāhine Māori te take, ka hapahapai
te rārangi pakipūmeka i te mana o ngā kōrero hei taonga. Ka whaiwhakaaro
ēnei wāhine e rima ki ngā āhuatanga e āki ana i a rātou, e pupuritia
rātou rānei kia whai i tētahi ara ki Ngā Pirihimana. Nō te tau 2017, kua
kaha te kimi a Ngā Pirihimana i tētahi ope kanorau e tika ai te whakakanohi
i ngā iwi katoa o Aotearoa.

Kua piki ake te nui o ngā kaimahi Māori, he 30% pikinga wāriu o ngā mahi
kātipa he Māori, ā, he 60% pikinga wāriu o ngā wāhine Māori. Engari,
ka whakakanohi tonu ngā wāhine Māori i te 3.6% wāriu o ngā pirihimana,
ahakoa e whakakanohi ana i te 8.4% wāriu o te taupori o Aotearoa.

Ka whai tēnei whakarewatanga i te whakatutukitanga o ngā wāhine 25% te
wāriu kei ngā mahi kātipa, i tutuki i te mutunga o te whakapōtaetanga o
te Rāngai 354 i tēnei marama, i mua tata hoki i te whakapōtaetanga o te
Rāngai 355, kei reira te nuinga o ngā ika tauhou Māori.

I kohatia te ingoa a Puhikura e Rāhui Papa o Waikato Tainui, he mema o te
Rōpū Aronga Māori a te Kōmihana.

“Ko te whakamāramatanga o te ingoa a Puhikura, he wahine rongonui, he mana
wāhine, he whakaaio whenua, ā, he tangata whakakotahi i te iwi. He taonga
anō hoki, inawhai anō mō ēnei kōrero.”

Hei tā Rāhui, “E tika ana te whakamahinga o Puhikura kia whakatairanga i
te whai wāhitanga mai o ngā māreikura ki roto ki Ngā Pirihimana o
Aotearoa.”

Hei tā Prue Kapua, te perehitini o mua o Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko I Te
Ora, “E āhei ana mātou ki te mahi tahi ki Ngā Pirihimana o Aotearoa me
te whai wāhi atu kia tutuki i ngā hua e hiahiatia ana e mātou te kite mō
ō mātou wāhine me ō rātou whānau… Kua horapa ngā mema o te rōpū ki
ngā hapori nō reira e mōhiotia ana e mātou ō mātou hapori, ka taea hoki
te mahi tahi ki ō mātou iwi.”

Ka kōrero ngā wāhine o Puhikura e pā ana ki ō rātou wheako hei
whakaohooho, hei takohatanga ki ngā mahi whakaora ā-ahurea, te tūhononga
me te whakatipu i te whakapono. Ko te tūmanako ia, ka whakaohooho ā rātou
kōrero i te hunga wahine e whakaaro ana ki te uru atu ki Ngā Pirihimana.

Nō muri mai i te whakarewatanga, ka tū ngā huihuinga hapori puta noa i te
motu kia taea e ngā wāhine, ō rātou whānau, hoa te pakipūmeka te mātai
me te kōrero ki ō mātou āpiha kimi kaimahi mō te mahi pirihimana te
take.

Mō ngā pūrongo anō, tēnā haere ki newcops.co.nz Newcops.

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