Kāpō Māori Aotearoa New Zealand

13/04/2026

✨ CE Chrissie Cowan honoured with Kings New Year Honor ✨

Te Kahui Tumuaki & KMA would like to congratulate Chrissie on receiving a ONZM (Officier of the New Zealand Order of Merit) during the King's New Year Honors. Last week, Chrissie received her medal at Government House alongside her Whānau. We are all immensely proud of her dedication to Māori and their Whānau ❤️

Mrs Chrissie Cowan, of Hastings, ONZM for services to Māori, particularly blind and low vision people

Mrs Chrissie Cowan (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne, Ngāti Porou) is Chief Executive of Kāpō Māori Aotearoa (KMA) and has worked with kāpō (blind and low vision) Māori since the 1990s. She has been co-Chair of Eye Health Aotearoa, Chair of Access Alliance, a member of the Whānau Ora Transformation Group, and a key witness for the Wai 2109 Kāpō Māori claim before the Waitangi Tribunal. She spearheaded a partnership between the Royal Australian New Zealand College of Ophthalmology and KMA to address disparities in Māori eye health. She advocated for the Accessibility for New Zealanders Bill and presented at the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness conference in Kathmandu. Mrs Cowan is on the Aotearoa Independent Monitoring Mechanism for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

17/02/2026

✨✨Karanga Mai, Karanga Mai, Karanga Mai!!! ✨

Blind and Low Vision Education Network of New Zealand (BLENNZ) Board of Trustees: Tangata Whenua Representative

In accordance with Section 5 of the Education Act 1989 Blind and Low Vision Education Network of New Zealand (BLENNZ) / Kāpō Māori Aotearoa are calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the Tangata Whenua representative position on the BLENNZ Board of Trustees.

The term of this position is one year expiring 2027.

Kāpō Māori, parents of kāpō Māori akonga or Māori involved in kāpō Māori education will be considered for this position.

For more information about the Tangata Whenua role, BLENNZ Board of Trustees responsibilities, and the EOI application form, email [email protected]
Completed EOI forms should be emailed to [email protected] Please note in the subject heading ‘EOI - Tangata Whenua representative, BLENNZ Trust Board.’

Closing date for EOI applications is 5.00 pm Friday, 27th March 2026.

Please note that:
🔴 Only applicants who have completed all sections of the EOI application form will be considered.
🔴 The information you provide will be treated as strictly confidential and be used for the purpose of recruiting the Tangata whenua representative.
🔴 Referees should not be a whānau member.
🔴 No late applications will be accepted.

Chrissie Cowan, ONZM
Chief Executive
Kāpō Māori Aotearoa

20/10/2025

🔴 NOTICE OF KĀPŌ MĀORI AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND INC. AGM 🔴
Date: Saturday 15th November 2025
Time: 10:00am to 12:30pm
Venue: Copthorne Hotel Auckland City, 150 Anzac Avenue, Auckland City (In-Person) & Via Live Stream (Tāngata (Financial) Members ONLY)

Tēnā koutou katoa,

On behalf of Te Kahui Tumuaki, we would like to announce the upcoming AGM on Saturday 15th November 2025 from 10am to 12:30pm. This AGM will be held in conjunction with the Hui Taumata 2025 and online for Tāngata (Financial) Members ONLY. As a reminder, per new charities laws, we are required to hold Annual General Meetings instead of our Biennial General Meetings. The agenda will be as follows:

🔴 Karakia
🔴 Mihimihi
🔴Roll Call/Apologies
🔴 Minutes from Annual General Meeting 15th November 2024
🔴 Matters Arising from Annual General Meeting 15th November 2024
🔴 Presidents Report 2024 – 2025
🔴 Financial Reports
🔴Resolution & Remits
🔴 Tāngata Membership Annual Fee
🔴 Te Kahui Tumuaki Election Result 2025
🔴 General Business

If there are any questions or you are unable to join us, please contact myself via email: [email protected]

Ngā mihi nui,

Nigel Ngahiwi
President of Te Kahui Tumuaki
Kāpō Māori Aotearoa NZ

09/10/2025

👁💙 Happy World Sight Day: “Be eye smart! Book your eye check today!” 👁💙

Today we celebrate World Sight Day and spread the message of making eye care accessible, available, and affordable for everyone. Kāpō Māori Aotearoa advocates with Eye Health Aotearoa for fair, equitable access to quality eye healthcare and prevention for Māori and all New Zealanders in Aotearoa.

CE of KMA and co-chair of Eye Health Aotearoa Chrissie Cowan was the MC for the Parliamentary Friends of Eye Health event hosted by Eye Health Aotearoa at parliament. The Tuesday evening event highlighted:

💙 The importance of early detection and timely intervention
👁 The social and economic costs of untreated eye conditions
💙 And the bringing together of MPs, clinicians, researchers, stakeholders, and community leaders to drive cross-party action on eye health.

Check out our partners who were also at the event: RANZCO Parents of Vision Impaired - NZ. For more information, please check out the Eye Health Aotearoa website: https://www.eyehealthaotearoa.org.nz/

29/09/2025

🔴 Te Kahui Tumuaki Elections 2025: Nominations Closed 🔴

Te Kahui Tumuaki nominations have now closed. Thank you to all those who have expressed an interest and have put there names forward.

If you have any concerns or questions, please email the Board Secretary (Tarewa): [email protected] . Alternatively you can call the Kāpō Māori Aotearoa Freephone, 0800 770 990 and request a call-back from Tarewa.

22/09/2025

🚑🌿 Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) senior doctors strike 🚑🌿

Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) senior doctors and dentists employed by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Strike are planning to strike for 48 hours, from 12:01am on Tuesday 23 September to 11.59pm on Wednesday 24 September.These strikes are to take place at all Health NZ Hospitals and services where ASMS members are employed. Hospitals and Emergency departments will remain open to ensure availability of critical health services.

What does this mean for you?
🔹 All Hospital Emergency Departments (EDS) will remain open throughout the strike periods but people should go if absolutely necessary
🔹 Contingency plans are in place. Life preserving services (LPS) support will be provided throughout the strike. These are determined on local level and in place for 🔹 Health NZ hospitals and services impacted.
🔹 In spite of best planning for patient discharge in advance of the strike, acute wards will likely be full with patients needing in-hospital care.
🔹 People with planned care appointments that are impacted by strikes will be contacted directly to reschedule for the next available opportunity.
🔹 Unless contacted and told otherwise people should continue to attend their appointments during the strike period.

For more information, check out the Health NZ|Te Whatu Ora website:

Find information on any current industrial action underway.

19/09/2025

🔴 Reminder: Te Kahui Tumuaki Elections 2025 & Announcement of Additional Position 🔴

Reminder: Te Kahui Tumuaki Elections 2025 & Announcement of Additional Position

This is a notice to all Tāngata (financial) Members that nominations are now open for the 2025 Te Kahui Tumuaki Board Elections. We are pleased to announce the addition of another board position, bringing the total number of Board positions to four:

🔹 President
🔹 Vice President
🔹 Executive Member
🔹 Executive Member

To be nominated or to nominate, the written support of two Tangata (financial) members is required. To validate the nomination, the signed consent of the Nominee is also required. Once the completed nomination form has been received by the Returning Officer, an acknowledgement will be emailed to the Nominee and Nominators. Nominees will be interviewed by the Nominations Committee to progress to the next stage. These interviews will occur as soon as the nomination form has been submitted and validated by the Nominations Committee.

If you are interested to be nominated or to nominate yourself, please email the Board Secretary (Tarewa): [email protected] . Alternatively you can call the Kāpō Māori Aotearoa Freephone, 0800 770 990 and request a call-back from Tarewa.

Nominations close Monday 29th September 2025. Candidates will be announced Wednesday 1st October 2025

17/09/2025

🔴 KMA Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2025: Call for Remits 🔴

Kāpō Māori Aotearoa calls for Tāngata (Financial) Members to submit remits for the upcoming Annual General Meeting 2025 being held on Saturday 15th November. A remit proposes changes to our constitution or organisational policy. Remits will be received by the board secretary and sent out to Tāngata (Financial) Members in their (AGM) documents.

To submit a remit or for more information, please email the Board Secretary (Tarewa): [email protected] . Alternatively you can call the Kāpō Māori Aotearoa Freephone, 0800 770 990 and request a call-back from Tarewa.

Submissions for Remits open Wednesday 17th September 2025 & closes Friday 17th October 2025

16/09/2025

📱🔹Hui Taumata & AGM 2025: Reminder to Register! 📱🔹

With less than two months to go, we still have spaces available to all members of for Kāpō Māori Aotearoa members and whānau to join us online or in person! This year’s theme focuses on technology with presentations, workshops and networking opportunities for everyone.

For more information, visit: https://kapomaori.org.nz/events/hui-taumata-agm-2025 or call our free phone: 0800 770 990

Kāpō Māori Aotearoa New Zealand - Supporting Māori who are blind or have low vision

10/09/2025

✏️ BLENNZ Board of Trustees Tangata Whenua Representative : Call for Expressions of Interest ✏

In accordance with Section 5 of the Education Act 1989 Blind and Low Vision Education Network of New Zealand (BLENNZ) / Kāpō Māori Aotearoa are calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the Tangata Whenua representative position on the BLENNZ Board of Trustees.

Kāpō Māori, parents of kāpō Māori akonga or Māori involved in kāpō Māori education are invited to submit an EOI.

For more information about the Tangata Whenua role, BLENNZ Board of Trustees responsibilities, and the EOI application form, email [email protected]
Closing date for EOI applications is 5.00 pm Friday, 10th October 2025.

Please note that:

🔸 Only applicants who have completed all sections of the EOI application form will be considered.
🔸 The information you provide will be treated as strictly confidential and be used for the purpose of recruiting the Tangata whenua representative.
🔸 Referees should not be a whānau member.
🔸 No late applications will be accepted.

09/09/2025

🔹 Reminder for Kāpō Māori Aotearoa Tangata (Financial) Membership 🔹

As nominations are open for Te Kahui Tumuaki Board Elections 2025, a friendly reminder to our membership and to those who would like to become a Tangata (financial) member of what you are entitled to:

Nominate or be nominated for Te Kahui Tumuaki Board 2025 positions.
Vote on all resolutions presented at the Kāpō Māori Aotearoa NZ Annual General Meeting 2025.
Determine the annual Tangata (financial) member fee - 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.
Exclusive financial members Kāpō Māori Aotearoa Hui Taumata 2025 benefits.
Be consulted and contribute to governance discussions about Kāpō Māori Aotearoa strategic direction, priorities and activities.

The annual fee is $20 (1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026). Requests to register as or to renew Tangata (financial) membership (1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026) should be emailed to the Board Secretary, (Tarewa): [email protected] Alternatively you can call the Kāpō Māori Aotearoa Freephone, 0800 770 990 and request a call-back from Tarewa.