Te One i Kurawaka
Takurua te M?tahi o te Tau
Te T?tai o Hinetakurua ki te R?whiti
In This Issue
1. Chairperson?s Update
2. Annual General Meeting
3. Leaders Forum
4. New Interim Chief Midwife ? Kiley Clark
5. Funding Opprtunities
6. Clinical Senate
7. Te Ara o Hine Tapu Ora
8. Maternity Commissioning Framework
9. NZCOM Governance Review
10. Scope of Practice ? The Limits of Decolonisation: Protecting M?tauranga M?ori from Harm
11. Rebranding with a Purpose
12. T?ranga Kaupapa ? M?rama Advanced Level Practitioner
13. Awanui?rangi - Bachelor of Midwifery 2026
14. Rangahau P?tea
Chairperson?s Update
T?n? t?tou,
Better late than never - Welcome to the latest edition of Te One i Kurawaka. We're excited to bring you all the latest Takurua updates. In the last p?nui, we commenced the T?ranga Kaupapa eLearning and we?re all hands on deck with a new tohu Kahu P?kai at Awanui?rangi. This quarter, we're focusing on promoting end of financial year accountabilities and enhancing our kaupapa through the rebranding w?nanga. We are also strategically strengthening our regional r?p? with Te Korowai and ensuring timely regional payments.
Please look out for upcoming changes to our website regarding the members? application and portal for the M?rama - Advanced Level Practitioners pathway to T?ranga Kaupapa.
Ng? mihi,
Lisa Kelly ? Chairperson
Annual General Meeting
Hui-a-Tau
This year's AGM will be held online Friday 12 September 2025. All registered members are of course invited to attend and will receive a meeting invitation with the annual report and agenda via email. Due to the end of term x2 new Trustees will be elected and announced at this AGM by the Returning Officer. Voting forms and full bio?s will be available via electronic ballot and sent to all members in the coming week.
Leaders Forum - Meeting reminder
A reminder the Leaders Forum will be held 12 noon on Friday 22 August 2025. The purpose of this forum is to proactively meet the regions, designated leaders and Ng? M?ia representatives quarterly and share local activities and support each other as necessary. If you want an invite, to submit reports or have agenda items to submit please contact Kelly via email admin@ngamaiatrust.org
National Chief Midwife ? A Change in Clinical Leadership
Our National Chief Midwife, Laura Aileone, has resigned. We join many in expressing gratitude for Laura?s clinical leadership, who inspired a vision of Pae Ora through uniquely challenging times. We warmly congratulate Kiley Clark (Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine) current interim Chief Midwife.
Funding Opportunities
The team has applied for various funding opportunities to further its work and expand our reach. This is an ongoing effort as new opportunities constantly arise. The Trust aims to remain active in our vision: He Kahu P?kai m? t?n? m? t?n?. No new funding arrangements or contracts have been secured in 2025. The team welcomes contact from members with particular interest or skills in this area.
Clinical Senate
Health NZ has initiated an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the establishment of the New Zealand Clinical Senate (NZCS), a multidisciplinary group formed to provide strategic advice on health service design and delivery, aiming to improve patient care across the health system. According to the website, the NZCS was created as part of the New Zealand Health Delivery Plan to represent clinicians and provide independent, impartial, and timely advice on system-wide issues affecting the quality, affordability, and efficiency of patient care. Appointments to the Senate are pending, and no additional information is available. Te Whatu Ora this week stated it is experiencing delays.
Te Ara o Hine Tapu Ora
The National Coordinator of Te Ara o Hine Tapu Ora sent through this update. The contract has again been confirmed for AUT, from 2025 through to 31 December 2026. Due to extensive coordination between funder and contractor, there was a delay; however, things are now moving forward positively. We anticipate that ?konga will have resources available by early July. Additionally, each of the five Midwifery kura will commence the re-recruitment of dedicated liaisons; advertisements will follow once kura processes are finalised. The current project lead is Tania Fleming, supported by Crete Cherrington. An AUT-based administrator role for the project has been advertised.
If members have questions or need further clarification, they are welcome to contact Joyce Croft directly at joyce.croft@aut.ac.nz
Maternity Commissioning Framework
The Technical Advisory Group of the Maternity Commissioning Framework (MCF) wrapped up its work in June 2025, alongside ex-officio members and Secretariat - Deb Te Kawa. Thanks to the many Ng? M?ia members who formed the TAG, we are confident the final framework will reflect wh?nau-led values and shared aspirations to address inequity. Once the official announcement and public release of the MCF are available, Ng? M?ia will share this directly with members via email. We understand Health NZ will be hosting a webinar for Midwives on this topic.
NZCOM Governance Review
Ng? M?ia Trustees have presented concerns about the proposed changes to the NZCOM Governance Review process to Alison Eddy, NZCOM CEO. A formal invitation to meet with the NZCOM board requested information on the terms of the consultation, and the CEO agreed the process was unclear. The Trust continues to emphasise NZCOM?s obligation to Te Tiriti and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the two parties. We encourage Ng? M?ia members to consider nomination for the upcoming NZCOM elections, because if we are not at the table then we are on the menu.
Scope of Practice ? The Limits of Decolonisation
Protecting M?tauranga M?ori from Harm
The intersection between midwifery and M?tauranga M?ori in Aotearoa exposes deep tensions where conflicting worldviews clash. Moreover, harm occurs when Te Tiriti o Waitangi is repeatedly breached, and when m?tauranga M?ori is appropriated, monetised, and oversimplified ? all happening simultaneously today. While the 2024 scope of practice may have sparked this discussion, Ng? M?ia is clear that cultural safety, informed decision-making, and effective interaction with M?ori are guaranteed rights under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. These rights, overseen by the Midwifery Council, pre-date the Midwifery Scope of Practice gazetted in 2024.
Ng? M?ia is therefore monitoring this situation carefully and would like to hear from members with urgent and clear advice regarding necessary protections for M?tauranga M?ori.
Rebranding with a Purpose
As mentioned in our last p?nui, Oho are experts in crafting brand identities and have been supporting us throughout the rebranding process. While the w?nanga have concluded, this work is ongoing.
The Trustees wish to thank everyone who participated and contributed with such care and thoughtfulness. We look forward to Oho presenting the final rebranding strategy in August. This marks an important step for Ng? M?ia alignment with its values. We look forward to an exciting announcement with all members at the AGM in September 2025.
T?ranga Kaupapa ? M?rama Advanced Level Practitioner
A reminder the Trustees and Council agree that long service Ng? M?ia members may be considered M?rama - advanced level practitioners of T?ranga Kaupapa. To facilitate tailored professional development, alternative pathways have been established. Therefore, the team wants to invite you to apply via this application form embedded within it a video explanation. If your application is successful, you will be notified and the process explained. You will also have access to all the Tangata Tiriti components for national consistency.
Moving forward, the three advanced pathways are:
1. Mana Whenua
The ten active r?p? may host their own T?ranga Kaupapa training for their members. Each r?p? will need to submit an application, maintain an attendance register, and conduct a w?nanga evaluation and practice reflection.
2. Mana Tangata
Individuals can apply to have their personal programme of study recognised by completing an attestation that demonstrates alignment with the T?ranga Kaupapa learning outcomes. Evidence of satisfactory course completion and an attestation is required via the portal.
3. Mana Motuhake
Members can work collaboratively or individually to design practice-based solutions that align with the T?ranga Kaupapa. They will present their project outcomes to their local r?p?. Peer reviews and an attestation will be required for submission. Alternatively you may present directly to the T?ranga Kaupapa team at Ng? M?ia.
Awanui?rangi - Bachelor of Midwifery 2026
A big thank you to everyone who has committed to supporting Awanui?rangi as they prepare to launch their first Bachelor of Health sciences M?ori Midwifery cohort in the 2026 academic year. We know there?s already strong demand, with waiting lists forming for the planned satellite classes in Te Wairoa, Kaitaia, and of course at their main campus in Whakat?ne. Awanui?rangi will host Ng? Maia next week for a development wananga.
Rangahau P?tea
Ng? Maia Trust, in partnership with the New Zealand College of Midwives, is excited to offer the P?tea Rangahau M?ori Midwifery Research Grant. This grant supports Kaupapa M?ori midwifery research and encourages the sharing of knowledge across the profession.
Purpose:
This grant provides an opportunity for M?ori midwifery researchers to present their work both within New Zealand and internationally. Recipients are expected to share their research findings across Aotearoa.
Eligibility:
- Be a registered midwife
- Have whakapapa M?ori (M?ori ancestry)
- Have a research project to share
There is $10,000 available per year, ending June 2026. The amount awarded per recipient will depend on the number of successful applicants. The Trustee executives are the panel reviewing the applications.
Connect With Us
We'd love to hear from you! Follow us on social media or contact us via email admin@ngamaiatrust.org for any questions or feedback. You can see the latest news and updates on our website. Finally, a reminder that the 2025 AGM will be hosted online on September 12th, with two Trustee vacancies up for election - the AGM invite will be emailed soon.
Stay tuned for our next p?nui in K?anga takitahi, and have a great reflection period during Takurua te m?tahi o te tau!
??
Kia tau ng? manaakitanga o te w?hi ngaro kia t?tou,
Tamara Karu - General Manager
generalmanager@ngamaiatrust.org
Ng? M?ia Trust