A pandemic health initiative won the top award at a celebration of Māori excellence.
Te Rōpū Whakakaupapa Urutā (the National Māori Pandemic Group) won the supreme award at Māori Television’s fifth annual Matariki Awards – Ngā Tohu o Matariki o te Tau 2021.
The group won recognition for coordinating a nationwide Covid-19 pandemic response for whānau Māori.
Drawing on Māori expertise from across the country, from GPs and nurses to iwi leaders and academics, health providers and policy and media specialists, Te Rōpū Whakakaupapa Urutā critiqued government polices and offered information and resources. University of Auckland staff were among those who contributed.
Besides the top award, Te Rōpū Whakakaupapa Urutā won the health and science category.
