The NZAF has begun to put the 2007 Trust Deed’s commitment to biculturalism into practice. The Board has taken clear steps towards rebuilding relationships with takatāpui and renewing governance work on responsiveness to Maori in keeping with the NZAF’s mission. A group of key stakeholders were invited to meet on a number of occasions by, but not with, the Board to consider and give guidance on the best model for partnership with NZAF Trust Board.
The Trust Board understands that there was a temporary setback with the group formed by Māori for Māori late in 2008. Anton Blank and Hone Kaa had been working on ways for the Board to develop a consistent, stable communications link with Māori. Anton and Hone withdrew from the group due to disagreements with some members of the group. In February 2009 Hoani Jeremy Lambert, Mama Tere Strickland and Richard Tankersley agreed to act as advisors to the Board.
“We are fortunate to have Hoani Jeremy Lambert, Mama Tere Strickland and Richard Tankersley as advisors, and we are developing further avenues of communication to build on the work that has already happened. The Board is unanimous in putting the Trust Deed’s commitment to biculturalism into action” says Mark Henrickson, NZAF Trust Board Chair. “We were of course saddened by some of these developments, but we are hopeful about the future. We knew from the outset that this process would not be easy, and we want to continue to support communications both among Māori, and between Māori and the Board in order to meet the goals of the NZAF.”
For more information or comment please contact
National Communications Co-ordinator
New Zealand AIDS Foundatio | Te Tūāpapa Mate Āraikore O Aotearoa
