Te Rōpū Taki Māori provides strategic Māori leadership, support, advice and input into Te Kahu Pairuri o Aotearoa (Te Kahu Pairuri)/Hospice New Zealand (HNZ) and to the HNZ Board on tikanga me kawa (procedures and protocols), initiatives and policies, and to ensure the values and preferences of Iwi Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi principals are reflected in Hospice NZ projects and initiatives.
Please read our Terms of Reference Te Rōpū Taki Māori TOR 2022 Final
Currently we have 6 Group members that represent:
- Kaumātua
- Knowledge and experience in different areas of the hospice workforce
- Knowledge and experience in hospice
- Knowledge on current research/evidence
- Knowledge of governance structures and protocols
Group members
Ria Earp (Chair) 
Ko Tongoriro te maunga
Ko Te Arawa te waka
Ko Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Pikiao nga iwi, nga hapū hoki
Ko Te Kaituna te awa
Ko Whakaūe te marae
Ria Earp is the Chair of Te Rōpū Taki Māori and in that role sits on the Board of Te Kahu Pairuri o Aotearoa – Hospice NZ. Ria also chairs Te Kahui Piringā – the advice, support and partnership group of the Health Quality and Safety Commission and is a member of the Wellington Free Ambulance Board.
Ria’s consultancy provides advice, peer review and locum management support to a range of health and social service organisations, including Hospice NZ.
Her passion for palliative and hospice care was grounded in her time as the Chief Executive of Mary Potter Hospice for eleven years.
Prior to taking up the role in Mary Potter Hospice, she was the Deputy Director General, Māori Health for the Ministry of Health for almost a decade. Ria had also held a range of management positions in Women’s Affairs, Youth Affairs and Te Puni Kōkiri.
Ria has a deep interest in Māori community development and health services. She has a BA (Anthropology), MA (Applied in Social Work) and MBA from Victoria University.
Dennis Emery
Ko Ruahine te pae maunga
Ko Oroua te awa
Ko Ngāti Kauwhata te iwi
Ko Tainui te Waka
Ko Dennis Emery tōku ingoa!
Dennis Emery has Ngāti Kauwhata and Ngāti Maniapoto tribal descent. He was born in Fielding and has four daughters and three mokopuna. Dennis was formerly employed as a Kaitakawaenga (Māori Liaison) at Arohanui Hospice. He had held this part time role since 2014, retiring in 2022. His role included: supporting staff and volunteers with culturally appropriate care, delivering cultural education, strategic planning input and contributing to the Excellence Framework of Arohanui Hospice.
Dennis has a trade union background, a long-term involvement in Iwi development (with environmental, education, cultural, health issues and social networks) in the Horowhenua, Manawatu and Rangitikei regions. He has been a founding member of Te Rōpū Taki Māori. He is also a MidCentral District Health Board member, a Director of Tihi Whānau Ora Alliance in Palmerston North, Trustee to Whaioro Mental Health Trust and Chairman of Ngā Kaitiaki O Ngāti Kauwhata Inc in Feilding.
Linda Olsen
Ko te taha ō tōku matua
Ko Te Arawa te waka
Ko Matawhaura te maunga
Ko Waitahanui te awa
Ko Te Arawa te iwi
Ko Ngāti Whakaūe, Ngāti Makino, nga hapū
Ko Pukehina me Otamarakau ngā marae
Ko te taha ō tōku whaea
Ko Aotea te waka
Ko Taranaki te maunga
Ko Nga Ruahine te iwi
Ko Ngāti Tu te hapū
Ko Kapuni te awa
Ko Waiokura te marae
Ko Linda Olsen taku ingoa
Linda’s background comes from working within her community in health and social services for the past 45 years. Linda works with a diverse range of families and has worked at Te Omanga Hospice for over 8 years. Linda works predominantly with Maori families. Her lived experience informs her work within palliative care. Linda draws upon her own Maori heritage to share knowledge and experiences in Maoridom, with the help and support of iwi, hapū, whanau.
Linda is employed as a Māori Liaison Worker at Te Omanga Hospice. The purpose of the role is to support whānau to understand the Hospice approach to palliative care, the environment, and provide information to whānau and their loved one who has a life limiting condition. It also involves educating and supporting Te Omanga staff to work from a culturally responsive approach. Linda has been a member of Te Rōpū Taki Māori since 2015.
Pare Corkran
Kia ora koutou katoa,
Ko Makeo toku Maunga
Ko Waiaua toku Awa
Ko Mataatua toku Waka
Ko Te Whakatohea toku Iwi
Ko Ngati Rua toku Hapu
Ko Omarumutu toku Marae
Ko Tutamure toku Wharenui
No reira ko Pare ahau
Pare is a registered nurse, originally training as a General Nurse before completing psychiatric training and worked in mental health and Forensic nursing for many years in Wanganui.
Pare changed focus to Palliative Nursing in 1997 at Arohanui Hospice and completed her post grad papers in palliative care, specific to Māori, gaining her Masters in 2007. Pare’s passion has always been Māori and their fit into a palliative care but generally palliative care has been an area that has given Pare many opportunities to make a difference in the lives of those who are dying.
Pare currently works as the Clinical Service Manager at Eastern BOP Hospice in Whakatane and has been there for nearly 2 years.
Pare’s other passion is her whānau. She has 2 adult children and four mokopuna.
Jonathon Hagger
Ko Tohoraha te maunga
Ko Kurahaupo te waka
Ko Ngai Takato, Te Rarawa, Whakatohea nga iwi
Ko Awanui te awa
Ko Wharemaru te marae
Jonathon Hagger is the Chief Executive of Te Kahu Pairuri ki Rotorua, Rotorua Community Hospice, a role he has held since 2018.
Prior to taking up the role at Rotorua Community Hospice, he worked in the tertiary education sector for 13 years in various management roles including supporting delivery of health and social services qualifications.
Jonathon holds the role of Chairperson in a Rotorua based Maori social services provider and a nationwide climate justice organistion that predominantly engages with rangatahi. He has an MBA from Waikato University and is slowly developing his ability to korero Maori.
Vanessa Eldridge
Vanessa is Director Health Equity at Mary Potter Hospice in Wellington. She has a background in nursing, and has led and developed several programmes relating to loss and grief for Māori, compassionate communities and leads a team focussed on the provision of equitable service for all.
Vanessa has contributed to national research, publications and professional development material regarding Palliative Care and she is a qualified bi-cultural supervisor. She contributed to Whenua ki te Whenua the Advanced Care Planning conversation guide for Māori with the Health Safety Quality Commission. She hosted the first National Symposium on Palliative Care for Māori in 2021 and contributes to project work with Hospice New Zealand.
Vanessa is Wellington born and of Rongomaiwahine and Ngāti Kahungūnu descent. She has two sons and lives in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand.
Hinetewai
Ko Tarahoua te mauka
Ko Rakitata te awa
Ko Kati Huirapa te hapū
Ko Hawea, Rapuwai, Waitaha, Māmoe, Tahu ōku Iwi
Ko Hinetewai ahau
Hinetewai is descended from Hawea, Rapuwai, Waitaha, Māmoe and Tahu.
Hinetewai is currently working for Nurse Maude Palliative Care Service as the Māori Liaison, a role which has recently been established to offer support to Māori engaging the service and providing education and support to staff.
Prior to Palliative care Hinetewai has held various roles in education and health, working in an advisory role within the Māori Land Court for a decade, assisting whānau, hapu and iwi with land administration, reunification, and whakapapa and more recently working in Mental Health and education.
Hinetewai contributes to research and projects locally and national and is a member of the Māori Womens Welfare League.
Hinetewai has a passion and interest in palliative care, health and education with a diploma in teaching and BA (Education).
