Māori Health Committee
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takatini —
"My strength is not that of an individual, but that of a collective"
Māori whakataukī (proverb)
The purpose of the Committee is to recognise the place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi | The Treaty of Waitangi in Aotearoa New Zealand and the commitment of the College to Māori tangata whenua | Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Māori Health Committee was established in 2007 and operates in a kaupapa Māori way according to tikanga Māori. In 2019, the Committee became a standing Committee of the Board.
For more information, read the Māori Health Committee By-law (PDF).
Membership
The Committee has representatives from across the College's Māori membership and works with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Committee to promote and advance health and wellbeing outcomes for Māori and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. This commitment is outlined in their Statement of Principles for Justice and Equity (PDF).
If you'd like to be a member on the Māori Health Committee, email your completed expression of interest form (DOC) to maorihealthcommittee@racp.org.nz
Committee members
Dr Matthew Wheeler, Chair, Fellow representative – Haematology, General & Acute Care Medicine
Dr Danny De Lore, Deputy-Chair – Paediatrics & Child Health
Dr Deneille Bligh, Advanced Trainee representative – Adult Medicine
Dr Kristy MacFarlane, Fellow representative – Gastroenterology
Dr Diana McNeill, Fellow representative – General & Acute Care Medicine
Dr Julia Reid, Fellow representative – General Paediatrics
Dr Myra Ruka, AMD and Education Strategic Partnership Group representative
Dr Fergus Stewart, Advanced Trainee representative – Adult Medicine
Dr Jade Tamatea, AMD and Education Strategic Partnership Group representative
Dr Tambra Trist, Fellow representative – Paediatrics & Child Health
Dr Curtis Walker, Fellow representative – Nephrology, General & Acute Care Medicine
Hauora Māori Pānui
Stay connected with us through the Hauora Māori Pānui eBulletin. It’s our way of keeping you informed about what’s happening in Māori health, education, practice, advocacy, and research.
Read the latest edition
Tena koutou e ngā ope taua o tā tātou mahi kia piki ai i te hauora
Tū mai rā te maunga whakahihi e marumaru nei i a tātou
Kei tēnā rohe, kei tēnā rohe e mihi nei
E noho mai nei i raro tātou i te mana, i te korowai tiaki
Rere kau mai te awa e kawa nai i te wairua a kui mā, a koro mā
Kia waikuratia to rātou aroha, tō rātou mana ki ngā iwi e noho mai nei
Kei te mihi, e rere rā
Kua tangihia ngā mate, kia tuku atu ngā roimata aroha ki a rātou
Kua hinga mai, kua hinga atu nei kua whakangaro atu i te tirohanga kanohi
Haere haere haere atu ra
Haere i runga i ngā waka aitua, i runga i ngā maunga a o tātou tupuna
E moe nei i te moenga roa,
Huri noa, ngā hunga ora ki ngā hunga ora.
Huri noa, ngā hunga mate ki ngā hunga mate
Tihei mauri ora.
Welcome to 2026. The year has certainly begun with momentum. Here in Tauranga, a series of extreme weather events has already shaped how the year is unfolding, reminding us of both the challenges and resilience within our communities.
We have now held our first Māori Health Committee meeting of the year in Rotorua. It was a dedicated planning day focused on clarifying our priorities and mapping the work ahead. Several important projects continue, and we remain committed to progressing them with purpose and integrity.
Read more
Previous editions
December 2025
September 2025
May 2025
March 2025
Pae Hautū
Former chairs and deputy chairs of the Committee are known as Pae Hautū. Members appointed as Pae Hautū will provide advice to new leadership, in accordance with Māori cultural practice of knowledge sharing and do not have voting rights.
Māori Health Hui
The Committee hosts a biennial Māori Health Hui for the College’s Māori members to reflect, connect and set the direction towards our goal of population parity for Māori in the physician and paediatrician workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Hui reports
2019 (PDF)
2017 (PDF)