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New Platform Gives Waiariki Control Over Its Own Health Data
Te Taura Ora o Waiariki Iwi Māori Partnership Board is changing how Māori health data is accessed, understood, and used for its people.
Its members took their first step in training for the new Māori data platform that will give clarity on their own health trends.
The wānanga, held in Taupō alongside governance members and three neighbouring Iwi Māori Partnership Board's (IMPB's), marked the beginning of Māori data sovereignty - ensuring information about Māori is stored and interpreted using a for Māori, by Māori approach.
Hingatu Thompson, chair of Te Taura Ora o Waiariki, said it marks a pivotal moment for Māori leadership in health.
"This data platform allows us to see our people clearly. We can now identify exactly where needs exist, where gaps in the system are impacting whānau, and where opportunities lie to invest in solutions that will create real change."
Data relating to the Waiariki region usually sits under the wider Lakes District, which left Māori health realities hidden amongst the rest.
Now, Te Taura Ora o Waiariki will be able to access a dedicated dashboard populated with data specific to the rohe.
The initial dashboard draws on information currently provided by Te Whatu Ora on the government's five health targets - faster cancer treatment, improved immunisation, shorter stays in emergency departments, shorter wait times for first specialist assessment, and shorter wait times for elective treatment.
The platform will add a more comprehensive layer to its dataset.
It is designed to build capability and confidence so that data insights can be used to inform strategic planning, influence policy, and strengthen advocacy on behalf of Māori communities.
"This kaupapa is not just about technology. It is about restoring mana motuhake, defining success on our own terms, and using evidence grounded in our worldview to uplift the wellbeing of our whānau," Thompson said.
Rather than viewing data as numbers alone, kaimahi reflected on it as a living narrative that carries the voice, mana, and aspirations of whānau, hapū and iwi. Te Taura Ora o Waiariki gathered whānau voice through kōrero, surveys, and hui to do so.
Qualitative insights, while not yet part of the dashboard, remain vital for interpreting the data and ensuring decisions reflect lived experience rather than statistics alone.
Seven more training modules will be delivered between now and June 2026, with Te Arawa hosting a wānanga in February.
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