Waatea News: Māori Radio Station

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei is inviting Aucklanders to Takaparawhau for its annual Matariki planting day, bringing whānau and communities together to restore the whenua and mark a season of renewal.

Ecology Team Lead Levi Makoare says the kaupapa reflects the deeper meaning of Matariki, a time to remember those who have passed, celebrate the present and prepare for the future.

The planting day is part of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei’s long-term commitment to restoring the mauri of the whenua at Takaparawhau and strengthening the relationship between people and the natural environment.

Volunteers can expect a hands-on day of planting native trees and plants, learning about local ecology, and contributing to the regeneration of one of Tāmaki Makaurau’s most significant whenua sites.

Makoare says everyone is welcome, from whānau and tamariki to schools, community groups and first-time volunteers. The event is designed to be accessible and community-focused, with people encouraged to come ready to connect, learn and get their hands in the soil.

Those attending are encouraged to bring warm clothing, sturdy footwear, a drink bottle and a willingness to help. Organisers say the work is practical but meaningful, with every plant contributing to the future health of the whenua.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei hopes the planting day will support biodiversity, restore native habitats and build stronger community connections around kaitiakitanga.

Makoare says the long-term goal is to leave Takaparawhau healthier for future generations while reminding Aucklanders that regeneration begins with collective action.

#Matariki #NgatiWhatuaOrakei #Takaparawhau #LeviMakoare #PlantingDay #Kaitiakitanga #Whenua #TāmakiMakaurau #AucklandEvents #NativePlanting #MāoriEnvironment #Biodiversity #Regeneration #Community #Aotearoa #RadioWaatea #WaateaNews

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Leading Māori health advocate Louisa Wall says recent changes to access for diabetes medications have reignited concerns about health equity and whether New Zealand’s healthcare system is meeting its obligations to Māori under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Wall, who affiliates to Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Waikato and Ngāti Hineuru, is chair of the Tūwharetoa Iwi Māori Partnership Board and spokesperson for Kaitiaki Hauora. She says decisions around access to diabetes treatments have significant implications for Māori and Pacific communities, who experience disproportionately high rates of diabetes and related health complications.

Diabetes remains one of the most significant health challenges facing Māori and Pacific peoples, contributing to higher rates of heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and amputations. Health advocates say improving access to modern and effective treatments is critical to reducing these longstanding inequities.

Wall says healthcare should be viewed as a taonga under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, requiring the Crown to actively protect Māori health and ensure equitable outcomes. She argues that public health policy must move beyond treating everyone the same and instead focus on addressing the unequal burdens faced by communities with the greatest need.

Concerns have been raised that pharmaceutical funding decisions often prioritise population-wide cost considerations without adequately accounting for the disproportionate impact of chronic illnesses on Māori and Pacific peoples.

Wall says Treaty obligations require decision-makers to consider equity, partnership and active protection when determining access to medicines and healthcare services. She believes Māori perspectives must be embedded throughout the decision-making process, rather than being consulted after key decisions have already been made.

She is calling for a stronger focus on culturally grounded healthcare delivery, including Māori-led services, earlier intervention, better community-based support and improved access to effective diabetes treatments.

Wall says equitable access requires more than simply funding medicines. It also means ensuring whānau can access culturally safe healthcare professionals, receive timely diagnoses and have the support needed to manage long-term conditions successfully.

As diabetes rates continue to rise, Māori health leaders are urging policymakers to place equity at the centre of future healthcare reforms and ensure that Māori communities receive the resources and support necessary to achieve better health outcomes.

#LouisaWall #Diabetes #MāoriHealth #PacificHealth #HealthEquity #TeTiriti #KaitiakiHauora #Tūwharetoa #Pharmac #PublicHealth #WhānauOra #ChronicDisease #Healthcare #Aotearoa #RadioWaatea #WaateaNews

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Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi says a series of recent developments across child welfare, employment, health and conservation highlight a common problem facing Māori – decisions are too often being made about Māori rather than with Māori.

Speaking amid debate over proposed changes to conservation land management, questions around Whānau Ora demand, and ongoing concerns about Māori wellbeing, Waititi says the weakening of Māori influence in policy-making continues to have real consequences for whānau across Aotearoa.

His comments come as Te Pāti Māori announced Lisa-Marie Murch as its candidate for Te Tai Tonga ahead of the 2026 election, reinforcing the party’s focus on strengthening Māori representation in Parliament and ensuring Māori communities have a stronger voice in national decision-making.

Waititi says the latest findings involving Oranga Tamariki are another example of systemic failures that continue to disproportionately impact tamariki Māori. He argues poor outcomes are linked to a lack of Māori-led solutions and insufficient investment in approaches designed and delivered by Māori communities themselves.

The co-leader points to ongoing scrutiny of Whānau Ora, where MPs have been questioning officials about demand for services and how success is measured. Waititi says the popularity of Whānau Ora reflects the effectiveness of kaupapa Māori approaches that focus on whānau aspirations rather than government-imposed targets.

On the economy, Waititi says Budget 2026 has failed to address the challenges facing Māori workers and whānau, with Māori unemployment remaining significantly higher than the national average.

He says a kaupapa Māori economic response would include greater investment in Māori businesses, whenua development, rangatahi employment pathways, vocational training, housing initiatives and iwi-led economic projects capable of creating long-term prosperity within communities.

Waititi says Māori economic development should not be treated as a niche issue but recognised as a major contributor to New Zealand’s future growth and resilience.

He also raised concerns about mounting pressure on rural health services, particularly in regions such as Te Tai Rāwhiti where workforce shortages and increasing demand continue to stretch frontline providers.

Recent cases highlighting pressures on healthcare workers have reinforced concerns that Māori health services are struggling to meet community needs despite the dedication of staff working in difficult conditions.

Waititi says the strain on Māori health workers reflects wider problems across the health system, including chronic underinvestment, workforce shortages and a failure to adequately support community-based and kaupapa Māori providers.

As Radio Waatea continues its focus on Māori men’s health, Waititi says maintaining personal wellbeing while balancing political responsibilities requires discipline and connection. He says spending time with whānau, remaining connected to te ao Māori, prioritising physical activity and taking moments to recharge are essential to sustaining health in demanding leadership roles.

For Waititi, the solutions to many of the challenges facing Māori remain the same: trust Māori communities, resource Māori-led initiatives and ensure Māori have a meaningful role in shaping decisions that affect their futures.

#RawiriWaititi #TePatiMaori #WhanauOra #OrangaTamariki #MaoriHealth #MāoriMensHealth #TeTaiTokerau #TeTaiRawhiti #LisaMarieMurch #TeTaiTonga #MāoriEconomy #KaupapaMāori #TamarikiMāori #Budget2026 #Aotearoa #RadioWaatea #WaateaNews

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A treasured piece of whenua with deep cultural significance has been returned to its rightful custodians, marking the end of a decades-long struggle and the beginning of a new chapter for the Pukaahu whānau.

The return of the Awakeri Hot Springs to the Pukaahu Whānau Domain Trust follows years of legal battles and a recent liquidation settlement, bringing ownership of the historic site back into whānau hands for the first time in more than a century.

For trustee Enid Ratahi-Pryor and members of the Pukaahu whānau, the return represents far more than a property transaction. It is the restoration of a vital connection to ancestral land, history and identity.

The Awakeri Hot Springs have long held cultural, spiritual and historical significance for the whānau. The site is deeply woven into whakapapa and carries generations of memories, stories and connections that have endured despite the loss of ownership.

The return of the whenua is being viewed as an important step in restoring those ties and strengthening relationships between current and future generations and their ancestral landscape.

For many Māori communities, whenua is not simply land. It is a living connection to tūpuna, identity and belonging. The return of Awakeri Hot Springs therefore represents a significant moment of healing and reconnection for the whānau.

The Trust’s immediate focus is expected to centre on protecting the site, securing its future and ensuring it can be cared for in a way that reflects its cultural significance. Long-term planning will also involve considering how the whenua can support future generations while preserving its historical and environmental values.

The journey to reclaim the land has not been easy. The return follows decades of advocacy, legal efforts and determination by whānau members who remained committed to seeing the whenua restored to its rightful place.

Supporters say the story of Awakeri Hot Springs highlights the importance of remembering how Māori land was lost and the lasting impacts those losses have had on communities across Aotearoa.

The history behind the site serves as a reminder of the resilience of whānau who continued to fight for recognition, justice and reconnection despite significant challenges.

As ownership returns to the Pukaahu Whānau Domain Trust, attention now turns to the future. While the legal battle may have ended, many see the return as the beginning of a new journey centred on stewardship, cultural restoration and ensuring the legacy of Awakeri Hot Springs remains strong for generations to come.

For the Pukaahu whānau, the return of the whenua is not only about reclaiming the past. It is about rebuilding connections, strengthening identity and creating opportunities for the future.

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A leading Māori public health advocate says understanding the difference between equality and equity is critical if Aotearoa is serious about improving health outcomes for Māori and addressing long-standing disparities.

Jasmine Graham, Māori Public Health Manager at Hāpai Te Hauora, says the two concepts are often confused, yet they produce very different outcomes when applied to healthcare policy and service delivery.

Equality focuses on giving everyone the same resources, services or opportunities regardless of their circumstances. Equity, by contrast, recognises that different communities face different challenges and may require different levels of support to achieve the same outcomes.

In healthcare, this distinction can be the difference between a policy that appears fair on paper and one that actually improves people’s lives.

Māori communities continue to experience higher rates of chronic illness, lower life expectancy and poorer access to healthcare than many other population groups. Health experts say treating everyone exactly the same often fails to account for the barriers that contribute to these inequities.

Examples can be seen in screening programmes, primary healthcare access and preventative services. A universal approach may provide the same service to everyone, but if Māori are more likely to develop certain conditions earlier, face greater access barriers or experience poorer outcomes, equal treatment does not necessarily result in equitable outcomes.

Advocates point to bowel cancer screening as one example where debates have centred on whether different eligibility ages are needed to reflect differing levels of risk among population groups.

The challenge for the health system is ensuring policies are designed around need rather than simply applying the same approach to everyone.

Graham says embedding equity into health policy requires a deliberate focus on outcomes. That includes collecting and analysing data, investing in kaupapa Māori providers, strengthening the Māori health workforce and ensuring services are designed alongside the communities they serve.

Health leaders also argue that decision-makers must consider the wider social factors influencing health, including housing, education, employment, transport and access to healthy food.

Without addressing those broader determinants, disparities are likely to persist regardless of improvements within the healthcare system itself.

Education and public awareness also play an important role in shifting public understanding. While equality is often viewed as fairness, health experts say true fairness requires recognising that some communities start from very different positions.

Building greater understanding of equity can help people appreciate why targeted investment and culturally responsive services are often necessary to achieve better outcomes.

For Māori health advocates, the goal is not special treatment but ensuring everyone has a genuine opportunity to achieve good health.

As Aotearoa continues to grapple with persistent health inequities, the conversation around equity is becoming increasingly central to how healthcare is planned, funded and delivered.

Supporters say a stronger focus on equity offers the best chance of closing health gaps and creating a system that works for all communities.

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Former professional boxer Dave Letele has become one of Aotearoa’s most influential voices on health, fitness and wellbeing, using his own life experience to inspire Māori men to take control of their health and create better futures for themselves and their whānau.

Known to many through his Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM) movement, Letele has built a nationwide following by helping people tackle obesity, diabetes and other chronic health conditions through practical support, exercise and community connection.

His message is simple: change begins with taking the first step.

For many Māori men, starting a health journey can feel overwhelming. Long work hours, financial pressures, family commitments and generations of poor health outcomes can make change seem difficult or even impossible.

Letele believes the key is not focusing on dramatic transformations but on small, consistent actions that build momentum over time. Whether it is going for a daily walk, choosing healthier kai or booking a long-overdue health check, every positive decision matters.

The health statistics facing Māori men remain concerning. Higher rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and preventable illnesses continue to contribute to shorter life expectancy and poorer health outcomes compared with non-Māori.

Health advocates say too many Māori men wait until serious symptoms appear before seeking medical help, reducing opportunities for early intervention and prevention.

Whānau support is widely recognised as one of the most powerful factors in creating lasting health improvements. The BBM model has demonstrated that people are often more successful when they make lifestyle changes alongside their partners, children, parents and wider whānau.

Support from whānau can provide encouragement, accountability and motivation during difficult periods, helping people stay committed to long-term goals.

For Letele, health is not just an individual responsibility. It is also about being present for those who depend on you.

Looking after physical and mental wellbeing means being able to support tamariki, contribute to whānau and remain active in the community. Good health creates opportunities not only for individuals but for future generations.

At the same time, Letele emphasises that personal responsibility remains an important part of the equation. While social and economic barriers can make healthy choices more difficult, taking ownership of personal health is often the first step towards breaking cycles of illness and poor wellbeing.

His own transformation has become an example of what is possible when determination is combined with support, community and purpose.

As Māori communities continue to confront high rates of preventable disease, leaders like Dave Letele are encouraging men to stop putting their health at the bottom of the priority list.

The message is clear: start now, lean on your whānau, and remember that looking after yourself is one of the most important ways to look after those you love.

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