ACC is a finalist in Te Hāpai Hapori, the Spirit of Service Awards, for their work with the Rongoā Māori Service. 

Run by Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission, the awards recognise public servants who go the extra mile.

The awards celebrate initiatives that deliver great outcomes for people in New Zealand.

ACC is one of three finalists in Te Tohu mō Whai Ratonga, the Māori Crown Relationships Award.

The government agency joins the City Rail Link Ltd for the Mana Whenua Forum and the Te Ministry of Justice (Tāhū o te Ture) for Whakaorangia te Mana Tangata.

Photo supplied.

Te Tohu mō Whai Ratonga celebrates outstanding public service contributions to supporting Māori Crown relationships through auahatanga (innovation), whakapūmautanga (durability) and kōwhiringa (opportunities).

“The Rongoā Māori Service exemplifies a commitment to protecting rongoā as a taonga and ensuring equitable access to services and experiences, leading to better health outcomes for Māori,” says Te Kawa Mataaho in its summary of finalists.

Rongoā has been available through ACC as a rehabilitation service since 2020 and has now helped over 10,000 ACC kiritaki (clients) across the motu.

Eldon Paea, ACC’s Head of Māori Health Partnerships, says it is great for ACC’s mahi to be recognised in the Te Hāpai Hapori, the Spirit of Service Awards.

Eldon Paea. Photo supplied. 

“This is a huge honour for our team, and I want to thank and acknowledge the many people who have helped build our Rongoā Māori Service,” he says.

“Offering rongoā as a rehabilitation service is part of our 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.”

In May, ACC hosted the first-ever Rongoā Māori Conference in Rotorua. It brought together more than 400 rongoā practitioners, health providers and other members of the health community.

“We wanted to bring 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,” says Paea.

“It was a great opportunity to whakawhanaunga (build relationships) and grow understanding of traditional Māori healing and its place in Aotearoa New Zealand’s health sector.”

Photo supplied.

ACC research shows Māori are more likely to sustain a serious injury than non-Māori, but less likely to make an injury claim.

Māori clients generally account for 12.5 per cent of new claims volumes annually but account for 16.7 per cent of the population.

ACC data shows rongoā Māori claim volumes are 1.5 times higher in the 12 months to June 2024 (7240 claims), compared to June 2023 (4734 claims).

The winners of Te Hāpai Hapori will be announced at an awards event on September 26.

For more information on Rongoā Māori: https://www.acc.co.nz/about-us/rongoa-maori-services