Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi says a series of recent developments across child welfare, employment, health and conservation highlight a common problem facing Māori – decisions are too often being made about Māori rather than with Māori.
Speaking amid debate over proposed changes to conservation land management, questions around Whānau Ora demand, and ongoing concerns about Māori wellbeing, Waititi says the weakening of Māori influence in policy-making continues to have real consequences for whānau across Aotearoa.
His comments come as Te Pāti Māori announced Lisa-Marie Murch as its candidate for Te Tai Tonga ahead of the 2026 election, reinforcing the party’s focus on strengthening Māori representation in Parliament and ensuring Māori communities have a stronger voice in national decision-making.
Waititi says the latest findings involving Oranga Tamariki are another example of systemic failures that continue to disproportionately impact tamariki Māori. He argues poor outcomes are linked to a lack of Māori-led solutions and insufficient investment in approaches designed and delivered by Māori communities themselves.
The co-leader points to ongoing scrutiny of Whānau Ora, where MPs have been questioning officials about demand for services and how success is measured. Waititi says the popularity of Whānau Ora reflects the effectiveness of kaupapa Māori approaches that focus on whānau aspirations rather than government-imposed targets.
On the economy, Waititi says Budget 2026 has failed to address the challenges facing Māori workers and whānau, with Māori unemployment remaining significantly higher than the national average.
He says a kaupapa Māori economic response would include greater investment in Māori businesses, whenua development, rangatahi employment pathways, vocational training, housing initiatives and iwi-led economic projects capable of creating long-term prosperity within communities.
Waititi says Māori economic development should not be treated as a niche issue but recognised as a major contributor to New Zealand’s future growth and resilience.
He also raised concerns about mounting pressure on rural health services, particularly in regions such as Te Tai Rāwhiti where workforce shortages and increasing demand continue to stretch frontline providers.
Recent cases highlighting pressures on healthcare workers have reinforced concerns that Māori health services are struggling to meet community needs despite the dedication of staff working in difficult conditions.
Waititi says the strain on Māori health workers reflects wider problems across the health system, including chronic underinvestment, workforce shortages and a failure to adequately support community-based and kaupapa Māori providers.
As Radio Waatea continues its focus on Māori men’s health, Waititi says maintaining personal wellbeing while balancing political responsibilities requires discipline and connection. He says spending time with whānau, remaining connected to te ao Māori, prioritising physical activity and taking moments to recharge are essential to sustaining health in demanding leadership roles.
For Waititi, the solutions to many of the challenges facing Māori remain the same: trust Māori communities, resource Māori-led initiatives and ensure Māori have a meaningful role in shaping decisions that affect their futures.
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