A $12 million health centre run by Māori for Māori has been opened in east Hamilton.
Māori are on the wrong side of most health stats and that's why Taakiri Tuu was built: by Māori, for Māori, with Māori.
"Maori still die seven years younger than other ethnicities and Māori still are not being diagnosed early enough," said Te Kohao Health managing director Lady Tureiti Moxon.
Studies show Māori are more likely to face discrimination in health and less likely to be referred for diagnostic tests.
"This is our response to changing the paradigm on that and also taking control of our own health," said Lady Tureiti.
Taakiri Tuu will focus on early intervention and prevention with X-rays and CAT scans helping tackle the diseases in which Māori are over-represented; cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer and bowel cancer.
The National-led Government dumped the Māori Health Authority Te Aka Whai Ora six weeks ago and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says while he's all for locally-led whānau-centred solutions, he insists the outcomes have to be good for everyone.
"I think where projects are really focused on whānau need and not only Māori but all New Zealanders who have health needs, absolutely that's something that we'd look at," said Potaka.
Potaka's initial stay was brief. He was meant to give a speech but left before then only to return when the ceremonies were over.
"As Tama Potaka was exiting he said he was going to his Zoom Cabinet meeting. I reminded him that Māori had to live with the jagged edge of their racist policies," said former New Zealand First MP and current Te Arataura board chairperson Tukoroirangi Morgan.
But Māori activist Merepeka Raukawa-Tait said co-developments like this will flourish with or without Government input.
"I think it will happen despite [the Government]. When you look at the funders, when you look at the participation of private funders who've come on board to form a collective that has the wellbeing of the community at heart that's who Māori are now talking to," Raukawa-Tait said.
