Māori Practitioners Advisory Committee
Te Manu Mātārae
The Māori Practitioners Advisory Committee ǀ Te Manu Mātārae is made up of nine people. They represent all the different scopes of practice (as well as lay people) from consumers of health care services, to assist with reviewing key standards and codes of conduct. They also provide advice to the Board.
Tokowhitu ngā mema o Te Manu Mātārae. Ko rātou ngā māngai o ngā momo hōkaitanga (me ngā tāngata reimana) mai i ngā kiritaki o ngā ratonga hauora hei Awhina ki te arotake i ngā paerewa matua me ngā tikanga whakahaere. He kaitohutohu hoki rātou ki te Poari.
The Board is responsible under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 for protecting the public of Aotearoa | New Zealand by providing ways to ensure that practitioners are fit and competent to practise. There are specific requirements under section 118i to set standards of clinical competence and cultural competence (including competencies that will allow effective and respectful interaction with Māori).
Kei te Poari te mana o te Health Practioners Competence Assurance Act2003 ki te ārai te iwi whānui o Aotearoa mā te whakarato huarahi kia tika, kia matatau hoki ngā kaimahi hauora ki te mahi. Āra ētahi whakaritenga i raro i te tekiona 118i ki te whakatakoto paerewa o te mātauranga haumanu me te mātauranga ahurei (tae atu ki te mātauranga e tika ai te whakaute whaitake ki te Māori.
The Committee wanted a name to fit the team and purpose of the work they do, while also looking to the future. Team members come from across the motu and committed to choosing a name that the majority were comfortable with.
I hiahia te komiti ki tētahi ingoa e hāngai ana ki te āhuatanga o te rōpū me te tikanga o a rātou mahi. Nō ngā hau e whā o te motu ngā mema o te rōpū, a, ka ū rātou ki te kōwhiri i tētahi ingoa e pai ana ki te nuinga.
Te Manu Mātārae refers to the lead bird that is identified when a flock of manu are migrating over a long distance. This lead bird does work for the rest of the flock following - it holds this position for a period of time (until tiring), before handing the role over to the next lead bird.
Ko Te Manu Mātārae, te manu kaitaki, inā tētahi kahui manu e rere tāwhiti ana. Ka riro mā te kaitaki te whakamāmā i te mahi mō te kāhui manu, a, ka ngenge, ka tuku atu te kaitakitanga ki tētahi atu manu.
Allanah Harrington - Co-Chair and Cardiac Sonographer
Allanah was appointed to Te Manu Mātārae in 2023. She has been working in the cardiac sonography profession for over seven years, in both the public and private sectors.
Allanah is devoted to improving Māori health outcomes, embedding cultural safety, and increasing Māori in her workforce.
Her interests include cardiology, neuroscience and clinical research, with a focus on indigenous health.
Allanah has a master's degree in Clinical Neuroscience from the University of Otago. Her work as the Māori Clinical Researcher in the Health Research Council study established the appropriateness of echocardiographic reference ranges in Māori and Pacific New Zealanders.
Allanah is passionate about the clinical and research link between cardiology and neuroscience and has plans to complete her PhD, focusing on a te ao Māori framework.
Kiriana Maxwell - Co-Chair and Medical Imaging Technologist
Kiriana was appointed to Te Manu Mātārae in July 2023. Having qualified as a medical imaging technologist at Auckland District Health Board (as it was called then) in 2018, Kiriana continues to further her knowledge and skills as an magnetic resonance imaging trainee working across Auckland City, Starship and Greenlane Hospital.
She's also the new Māori Health Lead for Clinical Support Services at Te Toka Tūmai. This position allows Kiriana to focus on improving Māori health outcomes, embedding cultural safety, and increasing Māori in her workforce.
She is a keen advocate of the MRI profession and recently completed her post graduate studies.
Sandra Laing - Lay person
Ko Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa rāua ko Ngāpuhi ngā iwi.
Sandra was appointed to Te Manu Mātārae in February 2025. She currently lives in Te Tai Tokerau, Kaitaia, where she has worked for the Ministry of Education as an Early Intervention Teacher over the past 14 years.
Sandra holds a Diploma of teaching, a Bachelor of Education, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Special Education. She is committed to improving Māori education outcomes and advocating equity for Māori, upholding the principles of Te Triti o Waitangi in her work.
Dr Te Tuhi Robust - Lay person
Dr Te Tuhi Robust has been involved in the education sector for more than 50 years, specialising in Māori education and indigenous studies, and retired as Associate Professor Tai Tokerau at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi in 2019. He has had a long involvement in the establishment, audit, and review of kaupapa Māori education services from pre-school to tertiary level. Through Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, the Māori Centre of Research Excellence, he had a vital role in bridging cultural gaps within tertiary institutions to create supportive environments for Māori scholars and students - collaborating with institutions such as the University of British Columbia to share knowledge and experiences on indigenous education internationally.
Dr Robust has been actively involved in governance and management, contributing as a director, general manager, trustee and chair for 14 private and iwi trusts in Auckland and Northland, covering education, health, land, forestry, papakāinga and community development. As Chairperson of Te Parahirahi Ngāwha Waiariki Trust, he provided leadership for the refurbishment of the Te Waiariki Ngāwha Springs complex, ensuring preservation of this culturally significant site.
Dr Robust is currently a research historian for the 28th Māori Battalion Association (A Company) and represents them on the Ngarimu Scholarship Fund Board.
Moana Tipene-Boyd - Medical Imaging Technologist
Ko Ngāti Kahungunu, ko Rangitāne, ko Te Whānau-a-Apanui ngā iwi, ko Moana Tipene-Boyd ahau.
Moana was appointed to Te Manu Mātārae in July 2023, and currently resides in Palmerston North with her young family. She completed her medical resonance imaging training in 2020.
In recent years Moana has gravitated towards education where she has worked at the Pūhoro STEMM Academy, and now currently at Universal College of Learning (UCOL) | Te Pūkenga as a lecturer.
Moana enjoys sharing knowledge with the students - ngā rangatira mō āpōpō (leaders for tomorrow). She’s also passionate about increasing the number of Māori within the profession.
Georgia Nankivell (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Raukawa) - Radiation Therapist
Georgia was appointed to Te Manu Mātārae in July 2023. She has worked as a radiation therapist at Auckland City Hospital since 2016. During this time, she’s developed a strong focus on supporting Māori health equity within radiation oncology.
Georgia has a special interest in cultural safety and mana-enhancing quality improvements in the clinical space, and is passionate about working alongside whānau Māori coming for radiation treatment from the wider Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau regions.
Ma'ifuna'i Shannon Ioane-Moala - Lay person
Shannon was appointed to the Medical Radiation Technologists Board in November 2022. She was appointed to Te Manu Mātārae in May 2024.
Shannon is a registered clinical coach - senior hospital play specialist supporting paediatric patients and their whānau in radiology (Starship Childrens Hospital) and radiation therapy (Auckland City Hospital). Her work has a particular focus in reducing the need for sedation to achieve both medical imaging (particularly MRI & CT) and radiotherapy through play-based learning.
Shannon has presented her work at the University of Auckland, NZ Course in Paediatric Radiology and NZ General Paediatrics Forum. She has a special interest in cultural safety and engagement, paediatric and whānau outcomes and representation of Māori and Pasifika in the profession.
Charlotte York - Medical Imaging Technologist
Charlotte was appointed to Te Manu Mātārae in October 2024. She has a career spanning nearly a decade at Te Toka Tumai Auckland within Medical Imaging. Since 2014, she has served in various roles, including Clinical Specialist, Clinical Practicum Supervisor.
Charlotte is currently an MIT Team Lead for Starship Radiology. She was recently appointed as the Radiology Clinical Network Co-Lead for Te Whatu ora - Health New Zealand.
Melanie Laing - Medical Imaging Technologist
Melanie is a senior mammographer working in A&E Radiography. She has a broad range of skills, with experience in assessment clinics and mobile breast screening.
Melanie’s career has taken her to Whangārei, Waitākere, Australia, and London.
Melanie is passionate about providing high-quality care, ensuring patients feel comfortable and supported, and encouraging greater Māori representation in radiography and mammography.
She is excited to contribute to Te Manu Mātārae (having joined in October 2024), to support and enhance equity and inclusion in the medical imaging profession.