National Urban Māori Authority

10/08/2026

Looking forward to this conference , 12 years of knowledge, learnings and evidence to share.

Whānau Ora Conference 2026 | Registrations Now Open

Join practitioners, leaders and partners as we reflect on the journey of Whānau Ora. What we have achieved, what we have learned, and how we define success for the future.

Through case studies, workshops, panel discussions and shared learning, the conference will explore how Whānau Ora practice has evolved and where we go next.

Wednesday 14 October 2026
Holiday Inn Auckland Airport
Register here: https://whanauora.nz/conference-2026

01/08/2026

A phenomenal milestone the dedication and progress we make in serving our communities. We share the thoughts of Waipareira CEO John Tamihere leading this Te Whānau O Waipareira development.

Māori Futures

One of the greatest challenges facing our communities is that too much of our effort is directed towards responding to problems after they emerge.

We’ll always need hospitals, emergency housing, crisis services and intervention programmes. They are essential. But if our ambition begins and ends there, we’ve accepted a future where we are forever managing disadvantage rather than creating wellbeing.

At Te Whānau o Waipareira, we made a decision a long time ago about the kind of whānau we wanted to be.

We don’t invest for investment’s sake. Every investment we make must strengthen our communities. If it doesn’t create long-term value for our people, then it isn’t the right investment.

That philosophy shapes every decision we make. It means using our purchasing power to create opportunities through our supply chain, expecting our partners to invest in Māori apprenticeships and local employment, and ensuring that the value generated by our investments continues to circulate through the communities they are intended to serve.

Too often, communities create value only to see it captured elsewhere. Capital is invested, contracts are awarded and developments are built, yet much of the economic and social return leaves the very places where the investment began. If we don’t intentionally follow the full value chain, from investment and procurement through to employment, ownership and capability, we are failing our mokopuna.

The same principle guides where we will never invest. We will not build wealth from industries that profit from harm. Gambling, Casinos and other activities that undermine the wellbeing of communities have no place in our investment strategy. The purpose of capital is not simply to generate financial returns; it is to generate stronger communities.

That philosophy is reflected in the Waipareira Whānau Ora Precinct where we developed the first Whānau Ora Precinct at Whānau House, Henderson, West Auckland. Projects of this scale begin with a decision to expect more for our communities.

Stage One, now nearing completion on Hospital Road, Middlemore comprises 92 apartments for our kaumātua. But it was never conceived as simply another housing development. It is the foundation of a much broader vision.

As the precinct evolves, it will bring together housing, integrated health and wellbeing services, leading-edge health technology, AI-enabled solutions, health research and the development of new specialist services. More than a collection of buildings, it is intended to become a place where innovation, care and community come together to shape new ways of improving wellbeing.

The Whānau Ora Precinct reflects our belief that lasting change is created not only through the services we deliver, but through the assets we build, the places we create and the investments we make. It is a deliberate investment in permanent community infrastructure that will continue creating social, economic and cultural value long after construction is complete.

Buildings alone do not change communities. What matters is what they make possible. Better health. Greater independence for our kaumātua. New opportunities for innovation and research. Stronger connections between people and services. A permanent asset that will continue serving future generations and opening opportunities.

For us, that is what investment should do. It should leave something behind that is bigger than any one programme, funding contract or generation. It should strengthen communities not just for today, but Forever because we are the Forever people.

15/05/2026

Our Chair has once again actioned the unprecedented - filed a substantial complaint submission about the Crown harm to our tamariki to the United Nations Human Rights.

01/05/2026

Congratulations to our kaimahi from across our Urban Māori Authorities Kokiri Marae Health & Social Services. Te Kōhao Health and Te Whānau O Waipareira who graduated today with their Whānau Ora Diploma Level 5 with our education training partner WaiTech.

Your commitment to uplifting whānau, strengthening communities, and investing in kaupapa Māori leadership is inspiring. We are proud to celebrate this achievement with you all. Ka mau te wehi!

17/04/2026

E mihi ana ki a koe, e hoa.

The National Urban Māori Authority acknowledges and celebrates Rima Dean as he steps into his next chapter.

Rima has long been a steady and trusted presence across our movement, quietly strengthening leadership, supporting governance, and contributing to the collective direction of urban Māori development over many years.

His impact has never needed to be loud to be deeply felt.

We extend our heartfelt thanks for his service, his commitment, and the integrity he has carried throughout his journey with both Te Whānau O Waipareira and the wider NUMA whānau.

E kore e mimiti ngā mihi. We wish you all the very best for what lies ahead.

Haere pai atu rā, Rima.

I tē rā nei ka hakaporoporoaki o mātou kaimahi roa nō Te Whānau o Waipareira, arā ko Rima Dean. Mai i te tau 1997, kua noho a Rima hei pou herenga mō tō tātou kamupene. E kaha tautoko ana i te whakahaeretanga o ngā kaupapa nunui rawatu. E mihi ana mātou ki āna tau roa o te mahi, me te nui o tōna koha ara ona kete matauranga i tuku ki a tātou te whānau me te hapori nei

E Rima, e rere atu ana ngā mihi nui ki a koe mō ngā tau kua pahure, ā, e tukuna atu ana ngā manaakitanga mōu i tō haerenga hou. Kia angitū, kia tau te rangimārie i ngā rā kei mua i a koe. Mauriora.

Today we farewell one of our long-standing kaimahi, Rima Dean, a pou of the Waipareira whānau whose contribution over many years has strengthened our people, our spaces, and our kaupapa.

While today marks a transition, it is also a time to acknowledge the depth of service Rima has given, steady, committed and always in support of our whānau. The impact of that mahi will continue to be felt across our community.

Rima has been part of the fabric of this place, walking alongside our whānau and quietly reinforcing the foundation we stand on today, with consistency, care, and a deep commitment to the kaupapa.

“For nearly three decades, Rima has been part of the backbone of this organisation. He’s not someone who has ever needed recognition or attention, he simply got on with the job, day in and day out, making sure our people were supported and our kaupapa kept moving. Those are the kind of men who hold places like Waipareira together. His contribution isn’t just in the work he’s done, but in the consistency, the loyalty, and the values he’s carried over time. You can’t replace that easily. We acknowledge him not just for his years of service, but for the way he has upheld the mana of this place and our whānau.” CEO, John Tamihere

Kokiritia i Roto i te Kotahitanga. Progressively act in unity.

04/04/2026

Our MD Lady Tureiti Moxon says, "Oranga Tamariki does not need reform. It needs to be disestablished and rebuilt with Māori, not as contractors within a Crown system, but as decision-makers exercising authority over our own tamariki."

The photo below is historic. Taken in 2020 when Ngā Kahurangi, Lady Tureiti and the former chair of Whānau Ora, Merepeka Raukawa-Tait filed a claim against Oranga Tamariki in the Waitangi Tribunal. Still, nothing has changed.

Photo: Lady Tureiti Moxon, Dame Areta Koopu DNZM CBE and the late Dame Tariana Turia DNZM. The other Dames that were part of the claim kaupapa were: Dame Rangimārie Naida Glavish DNZM JP and the late Dame Iritana Te Rangi Tāwhiwhirangi DNZM MBE.

▶️Read the full op ed here: https://thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360979322/urgent-case-maori-led-tamariki-authority