Te Tiriti o Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi
Te whakatinana i tō tātau hononga / Putting our partnership into practice: As a regulatory authority, independent from the Crown, our partnership with iwi and Māori underpins our principles and everything we do. Achieving this will require time, flexibility and the ability to self-reflect, at both Governing Board level and internally as an organisation. With a specific focus on the paramedic profession, our success as Te Kaunihera Manapou Paramedic Council (the Council) will be shaped by our ability and capacity to form a range of relationships with iwi and Māori as well as key government agencies, Māori health providers, associations and other communities of interest.
Through convention, the Articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi have been interpreted and expressed through a set of principles. Importantly, the principles that we consider relevant to our work are premised on the most recent Waitangi Tribunal Claim – Wai 2575: the Health Services and Outcomes Inquiry.
We consider that this enhanced set of principles provide deeper clarity and guidance.
Self-Determination/Tino Rangatiratanga: The principle of self-determination – this provides for Māori self-determination and mana motuhake. This requires the Council to work with partners in the design, delivery and monitoring of our relevant statutory work.
We will achieve this by ensuring Māori are represented on our decision making panels and committees. Māori will be represented on our Professional Conduct Committee and Health Committee’s. The Council is committed to ensuring Māori are represented in leadership and management roles throughout the organisation and works with the Ministry to achieve equal governance representation for Māori.
Partnership/Pātuitanga: The principle of partnership – requires the Council and iwi/Māori to work with each other in a strong and enduring relationship.
We will achieve this by working in partnership with Māori in the design and the implementation of our regulatory work. Together with a Paramedic Māori partnership group we have set the requirements for registration, the standards for cultural safety and the standards for clinical competence.
Equity/Mana Taurite: The principle of equity – this requires the Council to commit to achieving equitable health outcomes for Māori through the functions that it is responsible for.
We will achieve this by setting standards that require Paramedics to demonstrate culturally safe care, and care that demonstrates a knowledge of te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Active Protection/Whakamarumarutia: The principle of active protection – this requires the Council to be well informed on the extent, and nature, of both Māori health outcomes and efforts to achieve Māori health equity through culturally safe paramedic standards and the practice of cultural safety.
We will achieve this by actively protecting Māori rights and interests as part of our policy and standard setting work. Our policy team applies an equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi framework to the development of policy.
Options/Kōwhiringa: The principle of options – this requires the Council to ensure that all of its services are provided in a culturally appropriate way that recognises and supports the expression of te ao Māori models of care and paramedicine.
We will achieve this by involving Māori paramedics in our processes to have culturally responsive options. Māori are able to determine the tikanga appropriate for them when they interact with us through our health, competence and conduct committees.