Te Taumata Hauora O Te Kahu O Taonui Releases Hauora Policy Manifesto

Te Taumata Hauora o Te Kahu o Taonui Lays Down a Pou for Mokopuna Wellbeing

Te Taumata Hauora o Te Kahu o Taonui, the largest Iwi-Māori Partnership Board, has today released its Hauora Policy Manifesto, endorsed by twelve Iwi of Tāmaki and Te Tai Tokerau, a bold and aspirational statement of priorities, and recommendations to transform the health and wellbeing system for Māori across Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau.

At the heart of the manifesto is Mokopuna Ora, a vision for a flourishing future where our pēpi and mokopuna grow into taiohi who are healthy, nurtured, fluent in te reo Māori, confident in their identity, whakapapa and tikanga, and thriving as adults. Realising this aspiration requires a sustained, whole-of-whānau approach that embeds intergenerational wellbeing and excellence.

“This is a pou in the ground,” says Tereki Stewart, Chair of Te Taumata Hauora o Te Kahu o Taonui. “It’s a call to action for government and political leaders to work alongside Iwi to create a healthier, more equitable future for our tamariki and mokopuna.”

The manifesto is grounded in the voices of whānau, hapū and Iwi, and shaped by data and lived experience. It outlines seven key recommendations, including the establishment of an independent Māori health equity commission, investment in Hauora Māori providers, and investment in Iwi and whānau-led solutions to achieve greater hauora outcomes.

The manifesto draws on the legacy of Āperahama Taonui, a visionary leader and signatory to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, whose prophetic words continue to guide the Iwi of the North:

“You will not see it coming until you see it in the eyes of your mokopuna. When you see it, the only solution will be to wrap your mokopuna in the loving cloak of the whānau.”

Te Taumata Hauora o Te Kahu o Taonui welcomes all political parties, government agencies, and community leaders to meet kanohi ki te kanohi on marae, to kōrero, listen, and learn how they can support this kaupapa.

“We’re not asking for tweaks to the system,” says Co-Chair of the northern alliance of Iwi Chairs, Te Kahu o Taonui, Aperahama Edwards. “We’re asking for transformation, led by Māori, for Māori, with mokopuna at the centre.”

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