Māori identity and wellbeing thrives when
whānau,
hapū,
iwi and Māori communities lead healthy and prosperous lives. Their housing, employment, education, and health needs need to be met and they should be empowered to lead an equitable transition to a low-carbon Aotearoa.
To advance Māori wellbeing we need a holistic approach, one in which
rangatiratanga is central.
Source: Results from the Te Kupenga 2018 survey on Māori cultural wellbeing (Total NZ, Statistics NZ)
Two key pathways have led to successful outcomes for Māori:
- the role of
marae as focal points for social, cultural, and economic development
- the delivery of services 'by Māori, for Māori', based on
te ao Māori values and practices.
However, rapid rises in housing, transport and living costs have affected many whānau, and continue to do so.
This has led to the displacement of whānau, and has impacts on access to education, employment, services and facilities.
Social impacts due to climate change may further disadvantage Māori.
The impact of being displaced can also reduce the resilience of whānau and the sense of belonging that comes from strong bonds within the community in which you live.
To achieve outcomes that meet the needs and aspirations of Māori, service providers must be culturally competent, accessible and better connected. They must move towards
strengths-based models with whānau at their heart.
One way to do this is by drawing on Māori-centric models, as shown on the
Te Whare Tapa Whā website, and collective models of learning, so that key Māori concepts become embedded in service design and delivery.
One successful example is
Whānau Ora. This is a national multi-agency approach that places whānau at the heart of decisions that affect them.
The Māori Health Authority, established through the Health and Disability System review, is also tasked to
tackle long-standing inequitable health outcomes for Māori .
