Rongoā Māori: ‘No one is achieving what New Zealand is doing’
Proud Aboriginal man Jeffrey Gray is travelling overseas to attend the ACC Rongoā Māori Conference in Rotorua this week, hoping to take home some learnings which can be used to improve indigenous health outcomes in Australia.
When Australian Jeffrey Gray was invited to attend the inaugural ACC Rongoā Māori Conference in Rotorua, he didn’t hesitate and bought his ticket straight away.
The conference will be a celebration of traditional Māori healing and an opportunity for collaboration to support positive health outcomes for whānau and hapori Māori (Māori communities).
The two-day conference hosted by ACC will bring together rongoā Māori practitioners and health providers within te ao rongoā (the rongoā community) to whakawhanaunga (build relationships) and grow understanding of traditional Māori healing and its place in Aotearoa’s health sector.
Jeffrey is from the Wiradjuri – the largest Aboriginal group in central New South Wales – and works as the Aboriginal Engagement Lead (People, Spaces and Sustainability) for Australian health insurance providers Medibank.
He says the ACC Rongoā Māori Conference was a learning and engagement opportunity he couldn’t afford to miss.
“ACC in New Zealand is doing something incredible in this space,” says Jeffrey, from his home in Melbourne.
“The attraction for us is to learn from people who are doing great things for indigenous health, beyond talking about it.”
Jeffrey says he and his colleagues have been having conversations about how Medibank can contribute to closing the gap towards indigenous health equality but have struggled to take the next step.
“We’re right at the start of our journey, whereas what’s happening in New Zealand is advanced, so there’s lot of opportunity to learn,” he says.
“We’re coming across to listen, soak up how this has been done and then, in time, we’d like to apply that to our context for Aboriginal communities across Australia.
“I need to be clear that I haven’t seen anyone else achieving what New Zealand is doing. The way you’ve embraced rongoā Māori as an option for not only Māori, but non-Māori as well, is a great example of investing in indigenous health and meeting the needs of those people.”
Meeting the needs of indigenous populations
Rongoā Māori is traditional Māori healing. It includes mirimiri and romiromi (bodywork), whitiwhiti kōrero (support and advice) and karakia (prayer).
ACC has been offering rongoā Māori as a healing option since June 2020 and the growth in that time has been significant.
ACC data shows rongoā Māori claim volumes doubled in the 12 months to March 2024. And it’s not just Māori who are accessing rongoā Māori services – 59 per cent of kiritaki (clients) accessing rongoā Māori are Māori while 41 per cent are non-Māori.
Jeffrey says the number of people accessing rongoā Māori healing in New Zealand is incredible. He says it shows the need to meet the indigenous populations and work collaboratively.
A proud Aboriginal man, Jeffrey has seen first-hand the inequities faced by indigenous families when it comes to accessing healthcare in Australia.
“I've been impacted personally through my own health concerns and my family’s health concerns. For me, it’s important, also in the sense of doing something that leaves a legacy for our community to build upon.”
‘Closing the Gap’ for Aboriginal people
In 2021, a national agreement on ‘Closing the Gap’ was developed in genuine partnership between Australian Governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations.
The agreement sets out new Closing the Gap priority reforms and targets to change the way governments work to improve life outcomes experienced by indigenous Australians.
ACC data shows Māori are less likely to make a claim than non-Māori, but are more likely to have a serious injury or sensitive claim.
Jeffrey says it’s a similar situation across the ditch with indigenous people on the wrong side of the health statistics.
“We get told Aboriginal people just need to fit into the health services that are there. Like they’re available and that’s what they get, but it’s clear that’s not working so we need to change.”
Jeffrey wants to see more action and he’s sure the learnings he and his colleague will take from Rotorua will be invaluable.
“For us, our time at the conference is really about homing in on the connection of listening. We want to ensure we’re present there without huge distraction. And we’re able to hear people’s stories.”
“Stories are what connects us all in culture and we want to hear these stories so we can come home and change the face of how we engage in health in the future.”
Eldon Paea, Head of Māori Health Partnerships for ACC
Delivering equity for tangata whenua
Eldon Paea, Head of Māori Health Partnerships for ACC, is looking forward to the conference in Rotorua.
“We’re looking forward to bringing together our health providers and rongoā practitioners to share, learn and see how we can work together to meet all the needs of our communities,” he says.
“The conference is for anyone who has an interest in traditional Māori healing, mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge), hauora Māori (Māori health) and indigenous health.”
Eldon says offering rongoā as a rehabilitation service is part of ACC’s continuing efforts to deliver equity for Māori.
“It presents injured Māori, and all New Zealanders, with more choice in their recovery options, and is a positive step towards delivering equity for tangata whenua.”
ACC Rongoā Māori Conference
22 – 23 May
Energy Events Centre, Rotorua
More information is available on the Rongoā Māori Conference website.
