Iwi Māori Partnership Boards (IMPBs) are a key component of Aotearoa New Zealand’s evolving health and governance landscape, designed to give Māori a stronger voice in how health services are planned and delivered in their communities. Rooted in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and focused on tino rangatiratanga (self-determination), these boards represent a practical step toward achieving equity in health outcomes for Māori. So what Are IMPBs? Iwi Māori Partnership Boards are regional, Māori-led bodies that work with Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) and Te Aka Whai Ora (the now-merged Māori Health Authority) to influence decisions on Māori health priorities. Their role is to ensure Māori values, aspirations, and tikanga are embedded in the design, delivery, and evaluation of health services.
They do not deliver health services themselves but act as influential advocates and strategic partners within the reformed public health system. Am IMPB do the following:
- Advocacy and Representation: Represent the collective voice of iwi and Māori communities within a defined geographic region.
- Strategic Advice: Provide input into locality planning, ensuring services reflect Māori needs and realities.
- Accountability: Hold Te Whatu Ora and other health agencies to account for how well they serve Māori populations.
- Data and Evidence: Support the collection and use of Māori health data to track outcomes and guide improvements.
IMPBs are grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, specifically in:
- Article Two: Affirming Māori authority over taonga, including health.
- Article Three: Guaranteeing Māori the same rights and outcomes as other citizens.
They were created to uphold these obligations and correct decades of systemic neglect and underinvestment in Māori health.
As of 2025, there are 15 Iwi Māori Partnership Boards across the motu, each covering a different region. Examples include:
- Te Kāhui o Taranaki (Taranaki)
- Te Kupenga Hauora Ahuriri (Hawke’s Bay)
- Te Pae Oranga o Te Tai Tokerau (Northland)
Each board is uniquely structured based on local iwi dynamics, and works closely with both iwi and hapū authorities. Despite their promise, IMPBs face:
- Funding uncertainty under the new coalition government.
- Policy pressure, especially following the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora in 2024.
- Resistance from parts of the health system unused to sharing power.
Some iwi leaders have warned that diminishing the role of IMPBs would constitute a breach of Te Tiriti and risk further marginalising Māori voices. The New Zealand Government is actively considering significant changes to the role and structure of Iwi‑Māori Partnership Boards (IMPBs); the governance bodies established under the Pae Ora reforms to ensure Māori participation in health decisions. These proposed changes reflect a broader shift in policy direction and have drawn concern from Māori leaders and health advocates. Proposed Changes to IMPBs
- Refocus Mandate Toward Community Engagement
- The Government plans to amend the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 to bump IMPBs from strategic commissioning roles to primarily community engagement functions.
- This would scale back their authority over funding and service design, directing them to assist with local health conversations instead.
- Loss of Decision-Making Power
- Under National and ACT proposals, IMPBs would be demoted to the status of one stakeholder among many, rather than sovereign partners with the legal power to sign off on local health plans.
- They would no longer hold veto rights, instead sitting alongside hospitals, NGOs, and health providers.
- Strengthening Crown Oversight
- Minister Simeon Brown indicates a plan to introduce legislative changes that enable the health system to be “streamlined,” with stronger financial oversight, timely benchmarking, and targets from the Director-General of Health.
- IMPBs may be leveraged mainly for public engagement, rather than drafting or approving health strategies.
These reforms are part of a wider government reboot of the health system:
- Disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) in 2024.
- Reorganization of Te Arawhiti and Te Puni Kōkiri roles.
- Reversal of Treaty-based policies in housing, justice, and language; triggering significant backlash
The government asserts these changes support its “needs-not-race” agenda, aiming for a more unified public service approach. What Happens Next?
- Legislative amendments to the Pae Ora Act are expected before Parliament—likely mid to late 2025.
- Opposition from Māori health advocates, legal experts, and some within the health system is anticipated.
- The outcome will determine whether IMPBs transform into powerless consultative bodies or retain strategic roles guiding the future of Māori health services.
The Government’s shift aims to reframe IMPBs from strategic partners with signing authority into community engagement advisors, removing their power to shape and approve health service delivery. This marks a serious recalibration of Māori influence within the health sector; one that critics say undermines both the spirit of the Pae Ora reforms and commitments under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Government formally disestablished Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) on 30 June 2024, merging its functions into Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) and the Ministry of Health. The process has ignited widespread controversy, legal action, and accusations of breaching fundamental Treaty obligations.
