Waatea News: Māori Radio Station

Record levels of rangatahi homelessness across Aotearoa are placing increasing pressure on support services, with youth advocates warning that current responses are failing some of the country’s most vulnerable young people.

Bianca Johanson, Pou ārahi (Chief Executive) of Manaaki Rangatahi, says a combination of housing shortages, rising living costs, family instability, and ongoing social inequities is driving more young people into homelessness than ever before.

Frontline organisations are reporting growing numbers of rangatahi seeking emergency accommodation, couch surfing, living in overcrowded homes, or finding themselves without safe and stable housing options. For many, homelessness is linked to wider issues including poverty, family violence, mental health challenges, disconnection from education, and limited access to support services.

Johanson says the impacts are being felt across communities throughout the country, with Māori rangatahi disproportionately affected by the housing crisis.

Despite growing demand, concerns remain that funding and policy settings have not kept pace with the scale of the problem. Youth housing providers continue to face resource constraints, while advocates argue that many existing housing programmes are not specifically designed to meet the unique needs of young people.

There are also calls for greater investment in prevention services that address the causes of homelessness before rangatahi reach crisis point.

Manaaki Rangatahi is advocating for culturally grounded approaches that place whakapapa, whānau connections, and community support at the centre of housing solutions. Evidence suggests that programmes designed around Māori values and delivered by trusted community organisations can improve long-term housing stability and wellbeing outcomes for rangatahi Māori.

Supporters say successful interventions require more than simply providing accommodation. They must also include access to education, employment opportunities, healthcare, mentoring, and cultural support that helps young people reconnect with their identity and future aspirations.

As homelessness among young people continues to rise, pressure is mounting on the Government to prioritise immediate action. Advocates are calling for increased investment in youth-specific housing services, stronger prevention programmes, expanded transitional housing options, and long-term strategies that tackle the structural causes of homelessness.

With thousands of rangatahi facing housing insecurity, organisations working on the frontline say urgent and coordinated action is needed to ensure no young person is left without a safe place to call home.

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Veteran Māori health and equity leader Lance Norman says Budget 2026 falls short of what is needed to improve Māori wellbeing, strengthen whānau resilience, and close long-standing health inequities.

Norman, who has more than two decades of executive experience across Whānau Ora, public health, and social services, says the Budget delivers investment into the wider health system but does not go far enough in backing Māori-led solutions.

He says the key issue is not only how much money is allocated, but whether funding reaches the providers and communities best placed to deliver outcomes for whānau Māori.

Budget 2026 includes major health spending focused on frontline services, hospitals, infrastructure, and digital health systems. But Māori health advocates say broad system investment does not automatically translate into equitable outcomes for Māori communities.

Norman says the Budget misses an opportunity to directly address the pressures facing Māori providers, many of whom are dealing with growing demand, complex whānau needs, workforce shortages, and rising operating costs.

He says gaps remain in prevention, kaupapa Māori services, mental health, primary care access, disability support, housing-related wellbeing, and long-term investment in Whānau Ora approaches.

A key concern is whether the Budget aligns with Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations. Norman says genuine equity requires Māori participation in decision-making, Māori control over Māori health solutions, and funding models that recognise the value of kaupapa Māori providers.

He says future Budgets must shift from short-term, crisis-driven responses to long-term investment in Māori-led systems that strengthen whānau before they reach breaking point.

Norman is calling for immediate changes, including dedicated funding for Māori health providers, stronger support for Whānau Ora, greater investment in prevention, and transparent measures showing whether Budget spending is actually improving outcomes for Māori.

He says Māori communities know what works, but need the resources, trust, and authority to lead solutions that reflect their own realities.

With health inequities continuing to affect whānau across Aotearoa, Norman says Budget 2026 should be seen as a warning that investment without equity will not deliver the transformation Māori communities urgently need.

#Tags: #RadioWaatea #Budget2026 #LanceNorman #MāoriHealth #HauoraMāori #WhānauOra #HealthEquity #TeTiriti #MāoriWellbeing #Aotearoa #NZPolitics #HealthBudget #KaupapaMāori #MāoriProviders #Equity #SocialServices #PublicHealth #WhānauFirst

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As Aotearoa prepares to mark Safe Sleep Day 2026, Hāpai Te Hauora is strengthening efforts to reduce Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI), with a renewed focus on education, awareness, and whānau-led approaches to keeping pēpi safe.

Leading the campaign is Hāpai Te Hauora SUDI Lead Fay Selby-Law, who says safe sleep practices remain one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of infant deaths, particularly during the critical first four months of a baby’s life.

Health experts continue to encourage whānau to follow key safe sleep recommendations, including placing babies on their backs to sleep, ensuring they have their own safe sleep space, keeping their sleeping environment smoke-free, and supporting breastfeeding where possible.

Despite decades of public health campaigns, Māori and Pacific pēpi continue to experience disproportionately higher rates of SUDI compared with other groups. Advocates say this highlights the need for prevention strategies that better reflect the realities, strengths, and cultural practices of the communities most affected.

Selby-Law says culturally grounded approaches are essential to achieving meaningful and lasting change. Programmes that are designed and delivered by Māori and Pacific communities are helping to build trust, improve understanding, and empower whānau to make informed decisions about infant care.

One initiative gaining national recognition is wahakura weaving, which combines traditional Māori knowledge with practical safe sleep solutions. Wahakura provide a safe sleeping space for babies while also strengthening cultural connections and creating opportunities for education and discussion among whānau.

Community-led safe sleep education programmes are also playing an important role by delivering information in culturally relevant ways that acknowledge the diverse experiences of Māori and Pacific families.

This year’s Safe Sleep Day campaign coincides with the rollout of the new Foundations for Safe Sleep learning modules, designed to strengthen knowledge and consistency across New Zealand’s health workforce. The modules aim to ensure health professionals are equipped with the latest evidence-based information while supporting culturally responsive engagement with whānau.

Hāpai Te Hauora hopes the combined impact of Safe Sleep Day and the new training resources will increase awareness, strengthen safe sleep practices, and ultimately help reduce preventable infant deaths across Aotearoa.

As communities come together to support Safe Sleep Day 2026, the message remains clear: every whānau deserves the knowledge, resources, and support needed to ensure every sleep is a safe sleep for their pēpi.

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As Māori communities continue to mourn the loss of revered leaders Tā Hirini Moko Mead and Tā Tamati Reedy, Labour MP Willie Jackson says their passing highlights the urgent need for a new generation of Māori leaders to step forward and continue their legacy.

Jackson reflected on attending both tangihanga, describing the loss of the distinguished scholars, language champions and cultural leaders as a significant moment for te ao Māori.

He says the challenge now is ensuring emerging leaders are supported to carry forward the vision, knowledge and commitment demonstrated by those who dedicated their lives to advancing Māori development, language revitalisation, education and self-determination.

The comments come amid growing debate over Budget 2026 and its impact on Māori communities.

While the Government has announced continued investment in Māori media, Jackson says other sectors important to Māori have been left behind. He points to concerns around funding pressures affecting Te Matatini, Radio New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission, organisations that play a significant role in supporting Māori storytelling, language promotion and cultural expression.

Jackson also expressed concern about ongoing cuts and restructuring across the public service, particularly at Te Puni Kōkiri. He says repeated reductions risk weakening the Government’s ability to deliver effective services and advocate for Māori interests across multiple sectors.

Beyond government agencies, Jackson argues the Budget fails to adequately address the growing hardship facing many whānau. Rising poverty, unemployment, housing pressures and the cost of living continue to impact vulnerable communities, with Māori disproportionately represented among those experiencing economic hardship.

He says there is little in the Budget that directly targets the needs of children living in poverty or provides meaningful relief for families struggling to make ends meet.

As political parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the next election, Jackson says Labour’s focus remains on rebuilding Māori support through policies centred on jobs, housing, health, education and stronger support for whānau.

He argues Māori voters will be looking closely at which parties offer practical solutions to address inequality while protecting Māori rights, language, culture and aspirations.

With economic pressures continuing and Māori communities reflecting on the legacy of leaders who fought for progress and self-determination, Jackson says the coming political debate will be critical in shaping the future direction of Māori development and wellbeing in Aotearoa.

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The latest Child Poverty Report has sparked fresh alarm, with Honorary Associate Professor Susan St John warning New Zealand is drifting further away from its 2028 targets while more children experience material hardship.

The Budget 2026 Child Poverty Report shows material hardship increased to 14.3 percent in 2024/25, up from 13.5 percent the year before. The Government’s 2028 target is 6 percent.

St John says the figures point to serious policy failures, including inadequate income support, high housing costs, pressure on food and power bills, and a welfare system that is not keeping pace with the needs of low-income families.

She says official reduction targets mean little without policies that directly lift household incomes and reduce the daily costs facing parents and caregivers.

Advocates argue current approaches are too focused on long-term employment targets and not enough on the immediate hardship experienced by children now. The Government says its strategy includes supporting more parents into work and addressing long-term drivers of poverty, with child material hardship identified as a priority.

St John says the most immediate impact would come from lifting benefit levels, improving Working for Families, removing punitive welfare rules, expanding access to affordable housing, and ensuring children have enough food, clothing, heating and transport.

The Child Poverty Reduction Act requires governments to set and report against poverty targets, but St John says stronger accountability is needed so progress cannot be pushed into the future without consequence. MSD notes the law requires both three-year and ten-year targets across key child poverty measures.

She says New Zealand must confront whether the greater crisis is public debt or the private hardship being carried by families who cannot meet basic needs.

With one in seven children now experiencing material hardship, campaigners say the country is facing a moral and economic test: whether it will protect balance sheets, or protect children.

#Tags: #RadioWaatea #ChildPoverty #SusanStJohn #Budget2026 #MaterialHardship #Aotearoa #NZPolitics #Whānau #Poverty #CostOfLiving #HousingCrisis #WorkingForFamilies #Welfare #Children #Equity #SocialJustice #PublicDebt #PrivateHardship #ChildWellbeing #MāoriNews

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A thought-provoking article by Māori academic Dr Vincent Olsen-Reeder is reigniting discussion about identity, belonging and the meaning of being a “Kiwi” in modern Aotearoa.

Through a blend of humour, cultural critique and historical reflection, Olsen-Reeder challenges assumptions about who can claim the national label and whether Māori identity comfortably sits within it.

The article examines the often-unspoken expectations tied to the term “Kiwi”, suggesting that belonging is not determined solely by citizenship, contribution to society, or residence in New Zealand.

Instead, Olsen-Reeder explores how national identity is shaped by history, power, culture and language, raising questions about whether the term carries deeper meanings that are often left unexamined.

A central feature of the piece is his reference to “Maorilanders” — a term that evokes New Zealand’s colonial-era past while also prompting readers to reconsider the language used to describe identity today.

Whether interpreted as satire, a genuine alternative, or a tool for exposing contradictions in national identity, the term has generated discussion about who defines belonging and whose perspectives shape the national story.

The article also traces the evolution of the word “Kiwi,” noting how it has become a widely accepted symbol of New Zealand citizenship and national pride. However, Olsen-Reeder argues that Māori identity predates the modern nation-state, creating a unique relationship with labels that emerged through colonial history.

His reflections encourage readers to consider whether Māori identity exists within the broader concept of being a Kiwi, or whether it occupies a distinct space grounded in whakapapa, whenua and indigeneity.

The piece arrives amid wider conversations about constitutional transformation, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, cultural identity and the ongoing role of language in shaping how people understand themselves and each other.

Olsen-Reeder says his goal is not necessarily to provide definitive answers but to create space for deeper discussion about the words New Zealanders use to describe belonging, nationhood and identity.

As debates around culture, citizenship and indigeneity continue across Aotearoa, the article has struck a chord by challenging readers to think beyond familiar labels and reconsider what it truly means to belong.

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Kei te mānukanuka ngā kaiwhakarato whare Māori i te iti o te tautoko i whakatahangia e te kāwanatanga mō ngā ratonga whare māori.

E ai ki a rātou, nā ngā poronga pūtea me ngā panonitanga ki te kaupapa Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga ka iti iho ngā whare ka hangaia mō ngā whānau.

E ai ki te Minita Tuarua mō ngā take Whare, a Tama Potaka, kei te ū tonu te Kāwanatanga ki te tautoko i ngā kaupapa whare Māori pērā i a Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga mā te whāngai i te kaupapa ki te pūtea.

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Social Service Providers Te Pai Ora o Aotearoa says Budget 2026 has failed to deliver the direct cost-of-living relief urgently needed by whānau, children and rangatahi facing growing hardship across the country.

Chief Executive Belinda Himiona says community organisations are already seeing families under intense pressure from rising food, housing, power and fuel costs.

SSPA represents more than 270 community-based organisations working on the frontline with whānau, children and young people across Aotearoa.

Providers say the absence of direct cost-of-living support in the Budget means many families will continue making impossible choices between food, petrol, rent, school costs and basic household bills.

Rising fuel prices are also affecting the ability of community providers to deliver services, particularly in rural and regional areas where workers often travel long distances to support whānau in crisis.

Himiona says under-investing in early support will create much greater long-term costs for the country, as families pushed deeper into hardship are more likely to need intensive intervention later.

While the Budget included some investment in child safety, SSPA says the overall package falls short because it does not address the wider pressures driving family stress, poverty and instability.

Community providers are warning that without stronger investment in prevention, early intervention and whānau-centred support, more children and rangatahi will be placed at risk.

The organisation is urging the Government to listen to frontline providers and invest in services that keep families stable before crisis points are reached.

#Budget2026 #CostOfLiving #WhānauSupport #ChildPoverty #SocialServices #TePaiOra #SSPA #Aotearoa #MāoriNews #RadioWaatea

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Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to advancing Māori wellbeing despite growing scrutiny over departmental restructuring, Māori media funding and ongoing concerns about support for Māori communities.

Speaking on a range of issues affecting Māori across Aotearoa, Potaka reflected on the passing of renowned scholar and language champion Tā Hirini Moko Mead, describing his contribution to te reo Māori, mātauranga Māori and Māori education as one of the most significant legacies in modern New Zealand history.

Tā Hirini, who passed away last week aged 98, played a pivotal role in the revitalisation of te reo Māori, the establishment of Māori educational institutions and the preservation of tikanga and Indigenous knowledge systems. His tangihanga has drawn tributes from across the political spectrum and throughout te ao Māori.

Potaka acknowledged the profound influence Tā Hirini had on generations of Māori leaders, educators and language advocates, saying his work helped shape contemporary Māori development and cultural revitalisation efforts.

The Minister also defended Budget 2026 investments aimed at protecting native biodiversity, including additional funding for Predator Free 2050 initiatives.

The Government has committed new resources toward pest control programmes designed to protect native species and ecosystems. Potaka says Māori communities, iwi and hapū are increasingly playing leading roles in conservation efforts, combining mātauranga Māori with modern environmental management practices.

Predator control programmes have become a significant area of iwi involvement, supporting both environmental restoration and employment opportunities in regional communities.

Meanwhile, questions remain over the future of Māori media following Budget 2026 funding announcements.

Potaka says Māori media continues to play a critical role in strengthening language revitalisation, supporting Māori storytelling and ensuring Māori perspectives remain visible across the national media landscape.

The sector has been closely watching funding decisions amid broader pressures facing media organisations throughout New Zealand. Iwi radio stations, Māori broadcasters and digital platforms have argued that sustained investment is essential to maintaining services that support te reo Māori and Māori content creation.

The Minister says Māori media remains an important vehicle for cultural transmission, language preservation and democratic participation for Māori communities.

However, Potaka is also facing criticism over proposed restructuring within Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry of Māori Development.

The ministry is currently considering further workforce reductions following earlier restructuring rounds that have already seen staffing levels reduced. Critics argue the changes could weaken the Crown’s ability to support Māori development programmes and provide specialist policy advice on Treaty obligations.

Public sector unions and Māori advocates have warned that cuts to Māori-focused roles risk undermining the Government’s capacity to address disparities in health, housing, education and economic development.

Potaka has maintained that the ministry must operate efficiently while continuing to deliver outcomes for Māori communities.

The debate comes amid wider discussions about the role of Māori institutions within the public service and the Government’s broader approach to Māori policy.

For many observers, the issues surrounding Māori media, conservation investment, Te Puni Kōkiri restructuring and the legacy of leaders such as Tā Hirini Moko Mead are all part of a larger conversation about the future direction of Māori development in Aotearoa.

As Budget 2026 continues to be unpacked, Māori communities will be watching closely to see how Government commitments translate into tangible outcomes on the ground.

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