E nga rau rangatira mā, e kui mā, e koro mā, e huihui mai nei I tenei waa, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou. Nau mai, haere mai ra ki Te Whare o te Kawana Tinara o Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
I specifically acknowledge: Dame Silvia Cartwright; Dame Areta Koopu; Dame Kerry Prendergast; Tā Matiu Rei; His Worship Craig Little, Mayor of Wairoa; Professor Bev Lawton; Deirdre Tarrant; Toro Waaka, of the Hawkes Bay Māori Tourism Charitable Trust; and Matthew Bennett, Kahui Kaumatua o te Tātai Hauora o Hine.
I welcome this opportunity to acknowledge Te Tātai Hauora o Hine – and everything you have achieved for the health and wellbeing of women and babies in Aotearoa.
As you well know, for so long the study of male physiology was the default in medical science. As a result, understanding of female biology and the impact of medical procedures on women has fallen behind. Thank you for playing such an important role in addressing that gap.
Every time a woman has taken part in a cervical screening programme, or self-tested for HPV, they have benefited from the Centre’s research, advocacy and work with Government agencies.
My own research focussed on Māori health – and it’s particularly gratifying to see you demonstrate that health disparities amongst Māori women can be addressed – and can be avoidable.
Your work to address the mortality statistics for Māori mothers and babies has been literally life-saving, and every Māori or Pasifika mother and baby who goes to a facility such as Te Puna Wairua Hapu Mama Hub, benefits from your promotion of culturally supportive environments.
Ko te whaea te takere o te waka – mothers are indeed the hull of the waka, keeping the family together. We know that if mothers and children thrive, our communities will also thrive.
You have taken on big challenges, and the scale of the issues must seem daunting at times. However, as they say, in any problem, there lies an opportunity.
You have found opportunities to work with academia, iwi, communities, government and health professionals – to do the research, drive the pilot programmes, and help implement game-changing initiatives.
On a night when we are celebrating 20 years of impressive mahi from Te Tātai Hauora o Hine, I take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding leadership of Professor Bev Lawton over that time.
Congratulations Bev, for being named our New Zealander of the Year for 2025!
You are utterly deserving of that accolade, in recognition of your steadfast commitment to women’s health, wellbeing and social justice over many years, and the influence you have had here in Aotearoa – and internationally.
I am pleased to say your Centre’s kaupapa very much aligns with developments I have seen during my visits to Tairāwhiti, Te Tai Tokerau and Whakatane – where I saw iwi not only taking the lead in providing health services – but also addressing contributing causes of health inequities, such as access to housing, psych and social services, support for mothers and babies, and child-care.
Such holistic approaches are game-changing, because local people know best how to respond to local needs.
I want to acknowledge and thank everyone associated with Te Tātai Hauora o Hine for contributing to that kaupapa in Aotearoa, and for fostering optimism, confidence and wellbeing in whānau, hapū and communities.
I know you will continue to be ambitious in your work to foster wellbeing for women and babies. I am confident you will continue to address gaps in knowledge about women’s health issues – and to provide practical solutions to the issues you identify – and I wish you all the very best with your current projects and all projects to come.