Te Kaunihera

The College's Te Kaunihera is composed of psychiatrists who have direct experience working in Māori mental health, as well as Māori community members who are involved in mental health service provision and policy development. 

Responsibilities

• implementing the principles of the Tū Te Akaaka Roa (New Zealand National Committee). Tū Te Akaaka Roa will form the guiding principles for Te Kaunihera mo ngā kaupapa Hauora Hinengaro Māori. 
• developing policy and providing advice in the area of the College relationship with New Zealand Māori community groups.
• assisting and coordinating communication with New Zealand Māori community groups.
• determining principles and priorities in promoting New Zealand Māori health within College activities.
• providing advice to the Education Committee and its constituent committees to ensure requirements to attain Fellowship of the College include training requirements and examinations that assess cultural competencies for working with Māori. In addition Te Kaunihera will provide review of Māori Continuing Professional Development activities as required.
• promoting the views and aspirations of the New Zealand Māori to the College Board and Committees. 
• acting with other College representatives to present the views and aspirations of the New Zealand Māori to all non-College participants in mental health policy functions, service development and provisions.
• developing relationships with key non-governmental organisation (NGO) stakeholders, in consultation with the Office of the President and CEO (OPCEO) External Relations function as required. 
• advocating for New Zealand Māori and assist the College, within resources available, in advocating with and on behalf of these groups to promote mental health to the community; to reduce the impact of mental illness; to ensure optimal and complementary recognition and application of the various expertise of people and organisations involved in mental health care, and to ensure the rights of people with mental disorders.
• Supporting prospective New Zealand Māori Psychiatry Registrars, current Māori Registrars and Fellows by providing, in partnership with other organisations, a regular recruitment and retention Psychiatry wananga (traditional learning retreat).
• providing leadership, support, direction and advice (as appropriate and within timeframes that are reasonable) to other college committees that support and strengthen indigenous developments. 
• identifying and overseeing risks associated with its committee, in accordance with the College’s Risk Management Policy, and for reporting risks to the PPPC and high level risks to the Board.

Chair 

The current Chair of the Committee is Dr Matira Taikato.  

Meeting frequency

The Committee typically meet 4 times per calendar year.

Regulations

For a copy of the Committee Regulations, please contact governance@ranzcp.org.

Contact

Contact the committee at binational.committees@ranzcp.org.