NGĀ MĀIA

LISA KELLY CHAIRPERSON NGĀ MĀIA TRUST (NGAI TAI)

He warū ki runga he rarē ki raro. E te tī e te tā, e ngā kārangatanga maha o te motū, tēnā tātou katoa.

As we leave the first quarter, we recall Matariki’s farewell for our departed ki Hawaiki nui. Heoi anō Ngā Māia Trust Aotearoa - Māori Midwives wish to acknowledge the outgoing trustees, Pauline Allan Downs & Ripeka Ormsby for their years of dedicated service. We also farewell former CEO Jean Te Huia, who has been shifting and evolving with Ngā Māia for the last seven years.

Ngā Māia Trust is proud of Jean’s commitment to amplify the voices of those whānau impacted by the poor application of the Vulnerable Childrens Act through our national collective. Similarly her dynamic and special character would champion and support our tauira Māori to navigate the struggles of institutional & systemic racism. Kāore he arikarika ngā mihi mōu e te manawa tītī o Waimarama me tō tira o Kahungunu. Ahakoa ngā piki me ngā heke he whānau kotahi tātou.

Mate atu rā he tētē kura, ara mai anō he tētē kura. Surrounded by koanga (spring) offerings we are reminded of the potential a fresh start brings. Faced with significant internal transitions and worrisome challenges for our profession, we felt it was justified to turn to our membership for support and direction. After much deliberation with our kaumātua kuia, a successful AGM elected four new trustees; we therefore welcome Katarina Komene kei Te Taitokerau, Jaydeen Waretini-Beaumont kei Te Waipounamu, Te Rina Joseph kei Tauranga moana and Tamara Karu kei Waikato, who will join myself, Lisa Kelly kei Waiāriki, and Sarah Wills kei Te Waipounamu. We think this full complement of six trustees is a reflection of a broader reach and an appetite for change within our membership.

Many exciting activities are taking place nationwide; Ngā Māia Trust are holding important space for tertiary providers and the College to create partnerships, and together, realise the professional aspirations for recruitment and retention of both tauira and kaiwhakawhānau Māori. We aim to provide transparent and accountable governance while maintaining effective two-way communications with our membership. We will complete a pre-existing service arrangement with the Ministry of Health for the benefit of wāhine Māori and kaiwhakawhānau. Registrations of interest for projects will be forwarded to your rōpu/ rohe once available, to form sub-committees/ working groups to achieve these.

We are acutely aware of the challenges our profession is facing as the vaccine mandate divides us. We are very concerned that the Māori midwifery workforce will be erroded, with as many as 50 Māori midwives indicating they will cease practice on 15 November 2021, of an estimated total of 100 nationwide, meaning the Māori workforce will make up 50% of those lost. Ironically, this will directly conflict with Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill which seeks to design equitable access to health service and enhance cultural capability through mātauranga Māori. A fair and equitable Treaty partner would examine their relationship with power and know there is no mātauranga Māori without Māori practitioners. We encourage one and all to behave in a way that upholds the tino rangatiratanga of tangata whenua. A fair and equitable Treaty partner would be concerned that wāhine hapū will therefore lose access to highly skilled and valuable health resources from their communities. We watch closely to see how birth choices for wāhine hapū will be erroded in an already pressurised western maternity system.

Ngā Māia want to extend their heartfelt aroha to those who will cease to practice from 15 November and encourage all members to show care and compassion at this time. Equally, we wish to express our aroha and tautoko to those who have made the decision to be vaccinated and remain in the workforce. We are aware of the immense strain our further reduced workforce will be under and we will do everything in our power to support members through the challenges that lie ahead.

E tautoko ana tō whānau, tō hapū i a koe otirā ki ō ōati, aue mau tonu e.

Kia kaha! Kia māia! Kia manawanui! square