First Māori Health and Safety Conference held

Te Rōpū Marutau o Aotearoa (TRMA) held the first-ever Māori Health and Safety Conference in Kirikiriroa last month.

The sold-out event hosted 345 attendees from across New Zealand, representing over 150 well-known commercial organisations, iwi, hapū, and the community. With Māori values at the heart of engagement and attitudes, the unique cultural landscape of Aotearoa requires a holistic approach to address the socio-economic, cultural, and systemic factors that contribute to the higher workplace injury rates experienced by Māori. The aim of the conference was to look at ways to achieve equitable outcomes for Māori workers by promoting a "by Māori, for Māori" approach.

Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi delivered our presentation "Haumaru Tāngata", the new Māori-centered Health and Safety Framework that was developed to be meaningful to organisations, iwi, hapu and individuals and an effective, cultural response capable of reducing & preventing the workplace injuries and fatalities that Māori experience. The response from the conference attendees has been overwhelmingly positive and further details for the delivery of this Framework will be available through the Te Rōpū Marutau o Aotearoa website: trma.co.nz

The conference was a great success and delivered on its promise of promoting inclusivity, equity and safety in the workplace.