Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board Welcomes Opportunity To Work With Hauora Māori Advisory Committee
The Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board welcomes the opportunity to work alongside the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee to strengthen Māori health leadership and outcomes.
This follows a weekend announcement by Health Minister Simeon Brown on the Government's plans to amend the Pae Ora Act 2022.
'We support efforts to bring greater clarity and coordination across the system,' says Hikitia Ropata, Chair of the Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board. 'We see real value in building strong relationships between national bodies and local, whakapapa-based leadership.'
'As an Iwi-Māori Partnership Board, we bring the korowai of our iwi. Together we are grounded in our communities with lived experience, cross-sector relationships and local solutions that are essential to transforming the health system to truly serve all people who live here - those who whakapapa to us and those who call our rohe home.'
'We remain committed to working collaboratively to raise the voices of whānau and track how the health system is performing for Māori in our community.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsroom
6 hours ago
- Newsroom
Seymour's ‘light up' message alarms tobacco researchers
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour's comments to a London audience calling smokers 'fiscal heroes' – and declaring people should 'light up' to save their government's balance sheet – are reprehensible and make light of addiction, tobacco researchers say. Seymour largely stands by his remarks, arguing smokers are a net economic positive through tobacco tax and reduced superannuation from early deaths – but has conceded he was wrong to describe as 'quite evil' the Labour government's plan to create a smokefree generation. Early in its term, the coalition Government sparked controversy by repealing a law that would have banned the sale of tobacco to anyone born after January 1, 2009 and dramatically reduced both the number of outlets able to sell tobacco and the nicotine levels in cigarettes. Seymour spoke about the decision following a speech to the Adam Smith Institute, a neoliberal think tank based in London, during a visit to the UK this month. Asked about the smokefree generation concept, which has been taken up by the British government, Seymour said the New Zealand policy had been 'quite evil, in a way' and described smokers as 'fiscal heroes'. 'If you want to save your country's balance sheet, light up, because … lots of excise tax, no pension – I mean, you're a hero,' he said to laughter from the audience. Seymour told Newsroom his remarks were based on arguments he made before about the role of the Government when it came to smoking. 'I'm not seriously suggesting that we should encourage people to smoke to save the Government money. It's clearly an absurd statement, but you do have to have a bit of a sense of humour in this life, otherwise it would be too dull.' The state should make sure the public was aware of the dangers of smoking, while stopping smokers from doing harm to others (such as through second-hand smoke) and ensuring they did not impose financial costs on others. 'As far as I can tell, that condition is well and truly satisfied: I mean, the Government gets $2 billion of tax revenue from about, what is it now, 8 percent of the population?' (The Customs Service collected $1.5b in tobacco excise and equivalent duties in 2023/24, while that year's NZ Health Survey reported a daily smoking rate of 6.9 percent.) Seymour said it was 'just a sad fact' that smokers were also likely to die younger, reducing the amount of superannuation they collected, while he was unconvinced their healthcare costs would be markedly higher than those who died of other illnesses. 'If anything, smokers are probably saving other citizens money.' However, he backtracked on his suggestion the last Government's smokefree generation plans were 'quite evil', saying: 'I'm not sure that was the right word, on reflection. 'I certainly think the idea that, in 30 years' time, someone's going to have to prove that they're 49 rather than 47 does seem draconian – it seems almost a bit of an Orwellian situation.' While the Adam Smith Institute's event page billed Seymour as the Deputy Prime Minister, he said his speech was delivered in a private capacity rather than on behalf of the Government, while he had not used taxpayer money for his travel (he also confirmed the Institute did not cover any of his costs). Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says the last Labour government's smokefree policy was fundamentally based on humanitarian grounds. Photo: Marc Daalder Labour Party health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall told Newsroom the minister's remarks showed the Government had the wrong priorities when it came to its smokefree policy. 'They are prioritising balancing the books on the misery done to smokers due to the harms of tobacco.' Verrall said there was clear evidence of tobacco's cost to the health system, and the last government's smokefree generation policy had been 'fundamentally based on humanitarian grounds'. 'This is an addictive product: it is unique in that it kills half the people who use it. It's not like the more nuanced debates we have about … social media for kids.' University of Otago associate professor Andrew Waa told Newsroom Seymour's 'perverse' arguments were further evidence of the Government placing tobacco tax revenue over other concerns. 'It's literally blood money: it's money that the Government taxes on a deadly product, and yet they're still treating it as a profit margin for them.' Waa said the minister's comments ignored the social costs of tobacco, and would only help an industry 'intent on exploiting addiction at whatever cost'. 'I don't know if it's naive, or if it's [his] ideology that it's all personal choice – there's no choice when it comes to smoking some of these things. 'There's a reason why certain communities are more likely to smoke, because they get tobacco products shoved in their face all the time; by the time they decide to think that they don't wanna use the stuff, it's too late.' Janet Hoek, the co-director of tobacco control research partnership ASPIRE Aotearoa, told Newsroom that the comments were 'really ridiculous and reprehensible'. 'It just seems incredibly disappointing that Mr Seymour apparently thinks it's amusing to suggest that addiction, and early and often painful death, are a good way to generate government revenue.' Hoek said the environmental and productivity costs associated with smoking also needed to be taken into account, as did the social harm done to communities when their loved ones died prematurely. While some politicians dismissed public health experts as 'muppets … living in ivory towers', the suggestion that smokers were making an informed choice was itself out of touch with reality.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
Govt Launches Suicide Prevention Plan
A five-year plan aiming to tackle New Zealand's 'stubbornly high suicide rates' has been released today. The plan includes new strategies like peer support roles for mental health patients in emergency departments, and crisis recovery cafés so people don't have to resort to a hospital and can receive care in the community. The SMC asked experts to comment. Jacqui Maguire, Registered Clinical Psychologist, comments: 'New Zealand's suicide statistics remain a source of national shame. The Government's new Suicide Prevention Action Plan signals good intent, but without meaningful detail, it is difficult to assess its true impact. 'The most obvious gap in the plan is workforce development. Peer support and coordination roles are valuable, but the plan does not outline the training and retention of psychologists, social workers and mental health nurses who are needed to meet demand. Across both public and NGO services, workforce shortages, not just budget, are a real constraint. If we do not have qualified professionals we cannot deliver the required scale of care. 'Secondly, I believe the plan could be bolder and more detailed. For example, Every emergency department should have skilled, trained support not just the 8 regions outlined. Peer support is already being trialled, including in Wellington ED, but suicide risk exists nationwide. The alcohol and suicide link is acknowledged, but there is no clear policy action mentioned. For example, will the Plan tackle outlet density or alcohol pricing? We need to ensure therapy is accessible to all. The current model excludes many middle-income earners, who fall outside subsidy thresholds and cannot afford private care. Unless you are under 25 and covered by PIKI, access can be incredibly limited. That is neither equitable nor sustainable. The plan also speaks to hope, wellbeing and prevention yet makes little reference to the deeper drivers of suicide such as loneliness, housing stress, cultural disconnection and income insecurity. If we want significant suicide reduction, these issues are central. While the plan refers to data and information sharing, it does not address the kind of infrastructure needed to enable real-time, coordinated care. Particularly between crisis services and mental health teams. Without this, continuity of care will likely remain fragmented. Advertisement - scroll to continue reading 'The plan sounds promising on paper. However without a clear picture of who is delivering what, and how services will be integrated, it is hard to see how this plan will drive the scale of change New Zealand urgently needs to meaningfully reduce suicide.' No conflict of interest declared. Anthony O'Brien, Associate Professor in Mental Health Nursing, University of Waikato, comments: 'It is encouraging to see this new action plan on suicide. There is some tension between the action areas of the plan, and other areas of policy. Some actions require no funding but have the potential to limit suicide risk. 'For example the role of alcohol is highlighted, but curbs on alcohol advertising are not suggested. There is no plan to act on the role of social media in fueling suicide risk. There is limited recognition in the plan of the increased risk of suicide among people who are not employed, despite the report identifying social determinants contributing to suicide risk. 'It is good to see recognition of how various workforces can respond to suicidal thinking and support for those bereaved by suicide. There could be more recognition of the role of primary health care. It was surprising that the Access and Choice Programme was not included in current health-led suicide prevention supports. Also absent is the role of school nurses who in addition to providing support for students experiencing distress could be mobilised as school-based champions of suicide prevention. 'Given the commitment to measurable outcomes it would have been good to see some recognition of a suicide research strategy.'
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
Govt Launches Suicide Prevention Plan
A five-year plan aiming to tackle New Zealand's 'stubbornly high suicide rates' has been released today. The plan includes new strategies like peer support roles for mental health patients in emergency departments, and crisis recovery cafés so people don't have to resort to a hospital and can receive care in the community. The SMC asked experts to comment. Jacqui Maguire, Registered Clinical Psychologist, comments: 'New Zealand's suicide statistics remain a source of national shame. The Government's new Suicide Prevention Action Plan signals good intent, but without meaningful detail, it is difficult to assess its true impact. 'The most obvious gap in the plan is workforce development. Peer support and coordination roles are valuable, but the plan does not outline the training and retention of psychologists, social workers and mental health nurses who are needed to meet demand. Across both public and NGO services, workforce shortages, not just budget, are a real constraint. If we do not have qualified professionals we cannot deliver the required scale of care. 'Secondly, I believe the plan could be bolder and more detailed. For example, Every emergency department should have skilled, trained support not just the 8 regions outlined. Peer support is already being trialled, including in Wellington ED, but suicide risk exists nationwide. The alcohol and suicide link is acknowledged, but there is no clear policy action mentioned. For example, will the Plan tackle outlet density or alcohol pricing? We need to ensure therapy is accessible to all. The current model excludes many middle-income earners, who fall outside subsidy thresholds and cannot afford private care. Unless you are under 25 and covered by PIKI, access can be incredibly limited. That is neither equitable nor sustainable. The plan also speaks to hope, wellbeing and prevention yet makes little reference to the deeper drivers of suicide such as loneliness, housing stress, cultural disconnection and income insecurity. If we want significant suicide reduction, these issues are central. While the plan refers to data and information sharing, it does not address the kind of infrastructure needed to enable real-time, coordinated care. Particularly between crisis services and mental health teams. Without this, continuity of care will likely remain fragmented. Advertisement - scroll to continue reading 'The plan sounds promising on paper. However without a clear picture of who is delivering what, and how services will be integrated, it is hard to see how this plan will drive the scale of change New Zealand urgently needs to meaningfully reduce suicide.' No conflict of interest declared. Anthony O'Brien, Associate Professor in Mental Health Nursing, University of Waikato, comments: 'It is encouraging to see this new action plan on suicide. There is some tension between the action areas of the plan, and other areas of policy. Some actions require no funding but have the potential to limit suicide risk. 'For example the role of alcohol is highlighted, but curbs on alcohol advertising are not suggested. There is no plan to act on the role of social media in fueling suicide risk. There is limited recognition in the plan of the increased risk of suicide among people who are not employed, despite the report identifying social determinants contributing to suicide risk. 'It is good to see recognition of how various workforces can respond to suicidal thinking and support for those bereaved by suicide. There could be more recognition of the role of primary health care. It was surprising that the Access and Choice Programme was not included in current health-led suicide prevention supports. Also absent is the role of school nurses who in addition to providing support for students experiencing distress could be mobilised as school-based champions of suicide prevention. 'Given the commitment to measurable outcomes it would have been good to see some recognition of a suicide research strategy.'
