Te Rōpū Taki Māori provides strategic Māori leadership, support, advice and input into Te Kahu Pairuri o Aotearoa - Hospice New Zealand and to the Hospice New Zealand 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.
- 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
Vanessa Eldridge (Chair)
Vanessa is the new Chair of Te Rōpū Taki Māori and member of the Hospice New Zealand Board.
Vanessa is Director of Pō Pīata Limited a boutique agency providing Project Management, Governance services, education and facilitation. She holds Governance roles for a large PHO, a Māori health Provider and Mary Potter Hospice. Vanessa has worked in the Hospice sector for 15 years and maintains close ties to Māori business networks throughout the region.
She is Co-Chair of the Palliative Care Steering Group alongside Wayne Naylor. With this role, as well as a firm commitment to the Hospice kaimahi around the country, Vanessa is particularly focussed on growing the capability of whānau around end of life care, and supporting kaimahi perspectives and leadership within the sector.
Vanessa is of Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine and Rongowhakaata descent.
Hinetewai
Hinetewai descends 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).
Rawiri (Dave) Coyne - Te Tumu Herenga Waka
Ko Parihaka te Maunga
Ko Hatea te Awa
Ko Pehiaweri te Marae
Ko Ngati Hau te Hapu
Ko Ngāpuhi nui tonu te Iwi
Dave is the Māori development leader for North Haven in Whangārei, who works alongside the clinical team to provide them with cultural advice for Māori patients and whanau. He supports and ensures the needs are being met for Māori patients as they navigate their way through their Hospice journey.
Dave is also on the executive leadership team where he manages as the Māori advisor, where he implements strategies and builds relationships with local health providers and hapu/iwi. These strategies aim is to improve the health and well being of our people.
Dave has worked across a range of sectors including charitable tertiary education, health and public service in a variety of roles as a Senior Pastor, Maori Advisor, Senior Tutor, Transport Officer, Kaumātua and Iwi Representative.
Working with and for Maori people is a true passion for Dave and he continues to upskill and bring te reo Māori, tikanga, waiata and cultural competency to North Haven.
Barb O'Loughlin
Ko Mōkau ki runga, ko Tāmaki ki raro, ko Mangatoatoa ki waenganui. Ko Pare Hauraki, ko Pare Waikato, ko Te kaokaoroa o Pātetere.
E mihi ana au ki Te Ariki Kuini, Nga wai hono i te po, tae noa atu ki tōna whare kāhui ariki.
Anei tēnei mangainga o Marutūāhu, o Te Waharoa, e mihi atu ana ki a koutou.
Ko Barb O’Loughlin tōku ingoa.
Barb currently works at Te Kahu Pairuri mai i Takarunga ki Te Hana (Harbour Hospice) as a Kaiārahi and Māori Cultural Liaison. She works three days a week and is a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
Barb has a strong commitment to culturally safe palliative care and a genuine passion for lifelong learning. Her academic qualifications include a Diploma in Teaching People with Disabilities, a Diploma of Early Childhood Education, a Bachelor of Education, a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership, a Master of Education (First Class Honours), and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education.
She is actively involved with her Hauraki iwi and marae and is a patron of Te Whare Tāhuhu Kōrero o Hauraki. In addition, Barb is a researcher and represents Harbour Hospice on the University of Auckland and Auckland City Mission Legacy Planning Research initiative. She is also a current member of the Workforce Working Group, part of the National Palliative Care Work Programme.
Lizzy Ngatai-Hawtin
Lizzy is of Ngāti Porou and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui descent, with deep roots in Te Tairāwhiti growing up in Te Araroa. She was educated at Hukarere Girls’ College, her foundation in tikanga Māori and service was nurtured from a young age. Lizzy is a devoted partner and māmā of two, grounding her both personally and professionally.
Her connection to hospice is both lived and professional. Having supported several whānau members through end-of-life care, she brings a depth of understanding shaped by experience. Lizzy has worked with Hospice Tairāwhiti across two periods, totalling over six years, and is currently leading as the organisation’s first Māori Liaison, a pioneering role under development to strengthen whānau engagement and embed culturally grounded practice.
Her mahi is guided by a belief that death is sacred, and that supporting a good death is a profound privilege.