Health Care Aotearoa was born out of the union health centre movement. In 1993 eight centres and a small number of Maori health providers formed a national office to provide strategic management and co-ordination of their services. They appointed two part-time advisors, Wellington GP Don Matheson and financial advisor Pat Snedden.

The organisation had three aims:

1. to share experience and knowledge in primary healthcare services and contracting;
2. to provide support and back-up for services experiencing difficulties with management contracting;
3. to canvas support for the development of a national network of community controlled primary healthcare services.

A year later, with a number of health services now supporting the network’s kaupapa, HCA held its first hui. The theme was ‘Unity and Diversity’. The hui, hosted by the Turia whanau at Whangaehu Marae, planted the seed that was to grow into a thriving organisation committed to providing quality healthcare for those hardest to reach.

The inaugural HCA hui recognised that providing health care for Maori required a genuine commitment to biculturalism and rangatiratanga (the ability of Maori to exercise their chiefly authority as trustees over their own taonga).

The network’s leaders – both Maori and Pakeha – developed a strong partnership between tangata whenua and tauiwi. This became a leading model in holistic, community-driven healthcare, and an inspiration for other organisations about living treaty partnerships.

HCA’s constitution has a formal commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi that is reflected in our decision-making processes:

• At each AGM, members elect an executive committee, at least half of whom must be Maori, as the governing body.
• A kaumatua kaunihera (group of elders) guides HCA in its tikanga (processes and protocol).
• A te kaihautu co-directs HCA with a national coordinator.

Hon Tariana Turia at 2008 National Hui