<p style="text-align:center"><em><span style="font-size:12px">Whakauae Research Centre Director Amohia Boulton</span></em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Whakauae Research Services are both humbled and excited to be awarded $5 million from the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) for a five-year programme to build knowledge on what is needed for better health outcomes for M&#257;ori and therefore Aotearoa.</p>

<p>It&rsquo;s the first time Whakauae, which was established by Te R&#363;nanga o Ng&#257;ti Hauiti (Iwi o Rangit&#299;kei rohe) in 2005, has applied for HRC&rsquo;s programme grant. It&rsquo;s also the first time the programme fund has been awarded to an iwi-owned health research centre.</p>

<p>Whakauae Research Centre Director Amohia Boulton says the research is critical to effect the changes needed to improve health outcomes for M&#257;ori. The aim is to release findings throughout the course of the programme, so evidence can be used to inform policy and strategy work happening now in the health sector.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Equity is a right enshrined within Te Tiriti o Waitangi, however, M&#257;ori do not get to exercise rangatiratanga over the most fundamental of human rights &ndash; their health and wellbeing.</p>

<p>&ldquo;This programme seeks to fundamentally challenge the way the health system works &ndash; or doesn&rsquo;t work &ndash; for M&#257;ori.</p>

<p>&ldquo;We must develop and lead our own solutions if we are to realise the aspirations of our tupuna to flourish as M&#257;ori. This means building and testing our knowledge and what that looks like in the current context.&rdquo;</p>

<p>The programme takes a collaborative approach with multi-disciplinary teams from University, community and Iwi&nbsp;working together to achieve four key aronga or objectives. Each objective has its own corresponding research project, they include:</p>

<ul>
	<li>establish new knowledge on the leadership, governance and decision-making models required for iwi/M&#257;ori to make significant and enduring advances in the equity of health outcome</li>
	<li>build knowledge on safe and healthy home environments for wh&#257;nau M&#257;ori to flourish</li>
	<li>establish wh&#257;nau and clinical concepts of good practice in the primary health care system, specifically increasing M&#257;ori access to health care in the pre-diagnosis phase of cancer</li>
	<li>achieve knowledge translation for impact pathways to facilitate key systems change.</li>
</ul>

<p>The programme draws heavily on m&#257;tauranga Maori, tikanga M&#257;ori and the values of Ng&#257;ti Hauiti. Overarching the 5-year work programme will also be two key advisory groups. The first will ensure tikanga underpins all aspects of the mahi. The second is a Translation Impact and Uptake (TUI) advisory group comprising key decision-makers to advise on positioning findings to achieve maximum impact.</p>

<p>&ldquo;With reforms to our Health sector and everything that the global pandemic has taught us, now more than ever is the time to provide this kind of robust, evidence-based M&#257;ori worldview research.&rdquo; Says Boulton.</p>

<p>Please keep checking in and following the journey of the team at Whakauae Research Services as the programme of work is set to get underway shortly.</p>

<p>Kia mau te rongo! N&#257; m&#257;tou, n&#257; te tira mahi o Whakauae Research Services.</p>
