Te iwi Māori have been disadvantaged by the oral health system, leading to unjust, unfair and avoidable oral health inequities. The impact of oral disease and outcomes has a huge impact on the hauora of Māori whānau across the life course. 

The place and role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in health and health care provision is well established. Māori have unique rights as Treaty partners, and as tangata whenua of Aotearoa, to enjoy good oral health. The WAI2575 Health Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry identified consistent failures of the Crown in its commitment to achieve equity of health outcomes for Māori. Provisions to ensure Māori have adequate decision making, influence, investment, and appropriate accountability mechanisms to ensure the delivery of quality health care to Māori communities have not been met (Waitangi Tribunal, 2019).

Alongside the Ministry of Health, the Māori Health Authority and Health NZ are tasked to build a strategy and direction for the health system, ensuring that Te Tiriti o Waitangi continues to steer approaches to hauora. Te Ao Mārama is an assertion of Article II (Tino Rangatiratanga) of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and will work to ensure The Māori Health Authority work with Kaupapa Māori Oral health providers, and Māori communities to understand Māori oral health needs across Aotearoa. To help strengthen Kaupapa Māori Oral Health services, build a stronger Māori oral health workforce and provider network, as well as foster innovation in services and models that deliver better oral health outcomes for Māori.

As a united oral health system, we can collectively make ourselves accountable for equity improvements for Māori.