In the wake of the coalition agreements forming the New Zealand Government, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) has reaffirmed its commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi and partnership with Māori as tangata whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand.

RANZCOG acknowledges that Māori currently experience a range of poorer health outcomes and face obstacles to care including systemic barriers and structural racism. Equity of health outcomes for wāhine and whānau Māori requires significant focus, new approaches, and the work of the whole health system and all who work in it.

RANZCOG, as the organisation responsible for training and ongoing professional development of obstetricians and gynaecologists in Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand, is committed to developing the workforce to reflect the populations it serves, and to including cultural safety in our training curriculum and programmes.

RANZCOG will continue to focus on health equity through implementation of our Te Rautaki Māori me te Ara Whakamua – our Māori Strategy and Action Plan, and with our own journey to foster the use of te Reo Māori and enacting partnership in our committees and ways of working.

RANZCOG is committed to continuing our journey to improving health equity and we call upon the Government to ensure that our health system enacts the commitments of te Tiriti o Waitangi and focuses on equity of outcomes in Aotearoa.