Te Aka Whai Ora, the short-lived Māori Health Authority, has closed its doors.
It was established in 2022, following major changes to the New Zealand health system that included the dissolution of the district health board system into Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand.
A ceremony was held today at Pipitea Marae to formally hand back staff from the newly disestablished Te Aka Whaiora to Health NZ
In attendance was Rāhui Papa and he says the handing over of staff was a day filled with sorrow.
“E pōuri tonu ana te ngākau i te whakamoetanga mai o Te Aka Whai Ora. Engari ko te kōrero a te paepae i tēnei rā, ka whakanoia ake Te Aka Whai Ora ki runga, ki te tāhuhu nui o te whare, hei tōna wā ka tikina mai anō, ka whakaora mai anō. Koinei ko te āhuatanga kua pā mai ki runga ki ngā kaupapa o tēnei rā, kāore pea i eke e ai ki tā te ture o tēnei wāhanga iti nei. Engari he wā tōna ka hauhake mai anō i tā tātou kākano i ruia mai i roto i ngā tau ruarua kua mahue atu nei.”
“The heart is still aggrieved at the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora. However, as was said from the orators’ bench today, a part of Te Aka Whai Ora will be fastened to the great ridgepole of the house, and in time it will be collected again and restored. That was the nature of the proceedings today that what was set out for it to achieve over a very short period wasn’t able to be fully realised. However, there will be a time when the seed of what was sown merely two years ago will take root again,” he says.
The disestabishment of Te Aka Whai Ora came as a part of the government’s first 100-day action plan and saw an uproar in Māori disapproval across the country, even with the likes of renowned Māori health expert Sir Mason Durie.
Papa believes Māori can continue to keep pushing forward with the tools available under the current Pae Ora system for better health outcomes for Māori.
“Hei reira pea e taea nei e tātou te whakakīkī te whāruarua kua whakaara mai rā i te whakakoretanga o tēnei hanga, o Te Aka Whai Ora. He wā tōna me noho tonu, me kōkiri tonu i ngā reo o te Māori mō te oranga tonutanga o te tangata.”
(From there we can maybe fill the gaps that have arisen from the disestablishment of this entity, Te Aka Whai Ora. At times, there is a need to re-evaluate and let the voices of Māori further advance the advocacy for the health and well-being of the people.”
The ceremony, which took place today in Wellington, was closed off to media but Papa says approximately 200 people attended the gathering and, despite the feeling of heaviness, the impacted staff remain focused on the task ahead of getting better Māori health outcomes.
“Ko te kaupapa o tēnei rā, ko te whakaara mai rā i te korowai manaaki i ngā kaimahi o Te Aka Whai Ora, e whakatutuki haere nei i te āhuatanga e ai ki tā te ture, ana, e haere nei rātou ki runga ki te taiwiwī, ki runga ki te taiwawā, ka mutu ka haere rātou me te korowai manaaki o ngā karakia a ngā mātua hei ārahi i a rātou.”
(The purpose of today was to raise a cloak of support for the staff of Te Aka Whai Ora and to fulfil what is required in accordance with legislation so that their journey ahead is cloaked in the care and the blessings of the elders to guide them.)
Though the staff have now been handed over, the official disestablishment date for Te Aka Whai Ora is June 30.