Raukura Hauora o Tainui (Raukura Hauora) has become the first Maaori Health Provider in Aotearoa to be accredited for paying their kaimahi a living wage.

Celebrating their Living Wage Accreditation from the Living Wage Movement Aotearoa on Friday 18 December, Raukura Hauora Board Chair Korina Burne-Vaughn says the move is to show that the hauora is committed to ‘walking our talk.’

“We have 22-25 kaimahi in roles where there is minimal professional or career development or certification required - such as receptionists and administrators. These are people who are in contact with our patients and our communities every day. In almost all sectors, these types of roles are often paid just over the minimum wage,” Korina said.

“We ask our kaimahi to manaaki our patients and our community every day, and so its important to us that we show our kaimahi the same respect. It’s important to us that we show our kaimahi that we value them and the mahi they do.”

Raukura Hauora’s accreditation comes after several months of working with the Living Wage Movement Aotearoa to meet the organisation’s criteria:

• All direct employees are receiving a living wage prior to accreditation
• All indirect employees are either receiving a living wage or on milestones as part of that agreement
• The employer has provided workers with access to a union
• Employee terms and conditions have not been reduced in order to meet the current Living Wage rate.

Raukura Hauora operates 4 medical clinics, community health clinics, dental services, an addictions treatment facility and mental health and addiction services across the Waikato and Tamaki regions. CEO Terina Moke says the ability to offer a living wage has been made possible by making strategic changes to their operations.

“We’ve made some highly effective changes to our back-office functions to not only better manage operational costs but also increase our capacity and efficiency,” Terina said.

“We know that the cost of living in Aotearoa has placed significant pressure on whaanau, and COVID-19 has exacerbated those pressures.”

“Many of our kaimahi who are benefitting from a living wage are wahine Maaori who have whaanau to support – tamariki and mokopuna - so providing a living wage not only shows their worth as an employee, but also helps to support their whaanau and our communities.”

Raukura Hauora O Tainui joins the ranks of a number of other businesses and organisations who are also accredited for providing a living wage to their employees.

“We are the first hauora Maaori in Aotearoa to receive accreditation and it’s my hope that other hauora can follow in our footsteps in the future.”

Editors notes:

Raukura Hauora Mission is to deliver quality kaupapa Maaori health and wellbeing services to all people living in the rohe of Tainui waka so that they are empowered and able to thrive and prosper.

Raukura Hauora Vision is to pursue the rewards of a thriving and prosperous life.

Raukura Hauora provides low-cost primary and secondary health care in the Waikato region.

As a Maaori Health Provider, Raukura Hauora has a patient population of:

89% Maaori

6% Pasifika

4% NZ Pakeha

1% other ethnicities

For more information, please contact Media Advisor, Gabrielle Para at [email protected] or

027 967 0094, or visit www.raukura.org.nz