Mason Durie

Presenters

Emeritus Professor, Sir Mason Durie

ONZ, KNZM

Sir Mason Durie has been at the forefront of a transformational approach to Māori health and has played major roles in building the Māori health workforce for more than 40 years.

Sir Mason has also championed higher education for Māori. He has provided national academic leadership for Māori and indigenous development in roles as Deputy Chair of Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Professor of Māori Research and Development, and as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Massey University until 2012. He remains Emeritus Professor of Māori Research and Development at Massey University. His accomplishments include gaining funding to establish a Centre for Māori Health Research, Te Pūmanawa Hauora, and negotiating the Māori mental health programme, Te Rau Puawai, which provides up to 100 scholarships annually for students studying health-related subjects. He served on the Boards of Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand and the Foundation for Research Science and Technology.

He has been Chair of the Guardians Group for the Secondary Futures project, and a Commissioner for the New Zealand Families Commission. He chaired the Ministerial Taskforce on Whānau Ora and was Chair of Te Kāhui Amokura, a Standing Committee of the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee. As Chair of the Palmerston North based Tu Toa Trust, Mason helped establish two new secondary schools in Palmerston North.

His efforts have been recognised by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, the Public Health Association of New Zealand, the Māori Medical Practitioners Association, the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, and the Polynesian Society. Sir Mason was appointed in 2019 as one of three inaugural Ruānuku by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, New Zealand's Māori Centre of Research Excellence, and received the Blake Medal in 2017. Sir Mason was appointed as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori in 2001 and as a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori health and public health services in 2010. The Queen awarded Sir Mason with the Order of New Zealand in the 2021 New Year Honours list for his services to Aotearoa New Zealand.

Sir Mason Durie has been at the forefront of a transformational approach to Māori health and has played major roles in building the Māori health workforce for more than 40 years.

Sir Mason has also championed higher education for Māori. He has provided national academic leadership for Māori and indigenous development in roles as Deputy Chair of Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Professor of Māori Research and Development, and as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Massey University until 2012. He remains Emeritus Professor of Māori Research and Development at Massey University. His accomplishments include gaining funding to establish a Centre for Māori Health Research, Te Pūmanawa Hauora, and negotiating the Māori mental health programme, Te Rau Puawai, which provides up to 100 scholarships annually for students studying health-related subjects. He served on the Boards of Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand and the Foundation for Research Science and Technology.

He has been Chair of the Guardians Group for the Secondary Futures project, and a Commissioner for the New Zealand Families Commission. He chaired the Ministerial Taskforce on Whānau Ora and was Chair of Te Kāhui Amokura, a Standing Committee of the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee. As Chair of the Palmerston North based Tu Toa Trust, Mason helped establish two new secondary schools in Palmerston North.

His efforts have been recognised by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, the Public Health Association of New Zealand, the Māori Medical Practitioners Association, the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, and the Polynesian Society. Sir Mason was appointed in 2019 as one of three inaugural Ruānuku by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, New Zealand's Māori Centre of Research Excellence, and received the Blake Medal in 2017. Sir Mason was appointed as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori in 2001 and as a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori health and public health services in 2010. The Queen awarded Sir Mason with the Order of New Zealand in the 2021 New Year Honours list for his services to Aotearoa New Zealand.

Last updated 24 June 2025