Inquiry progress

In December 2017, the Tribunal confirmed that the Wai 2575 Inquiry would proceed on a phased and thematic basis, with health-related issues heard in stages according to priority:

Stage one, which concluded in March 2019, inquired into aspects of primary care
Stage two covers three priority areas encompassing Maaori with disabilities, mental health (including suicide and self-harm), and issues of alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse
Stage three will focus on remaining themes of national significance, including eligible historical claims

Stage one

The stage one inquiry was a discrete and targeted inquiry into the legislative and policy framework of the primary healthcare system. The inquiry was presided over by Judge Stephen Clark. Those proceedings were confined to hearing the Maaori Primary Health Organisations & Providers (Wai 1315) and the National Hauora Coalition (Wai 2687) claims. Interested parties were also granted varying degrees of participation in the inquiry.

Following hearings held from 2018 to 2019, the Tribunal released its pre-publication version of Hauora – the Report on Stage One of the Health Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry (the Hauora Report) on 1 July 2019.

The final version of the Hauora Report was released on 19 October 2021, following a two-year period in which parties reported back to the Tribunal regarding progress on the implementation of its interim recommendations.

Hauora: Report on Stage One of the Health Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry

COVID-19 priority inquiry

In November 2021, the Tribunal re-allocated hearing one of the disability phase of the stage two inquiry to enable a priority inquiry into the COVID-19 Protection Framework. The priority hearing took place from 6 to 10 December 2021 at the Tribunal’s offices in Wellington.

The Tribunal released Haumaru: the COVID-19 Priority Report in pre-publication format on 20 December 2021.

Haumaru: The COVID-19 Priority Report

Stage two

Casebook research

As a result of the pre-casebook discussion paper (a Tribunal Unit assessment of the evidence required for the stage two inquiry), the Tribunal commissioned four reports for stage two:

Both reports concerning Maaori with disabilities were filed on 28 June 2019, and the report concerning Maaori mental health was filed on 30 August 2019. The report concerning issues of alcohol, tobacco and substance abuse for Maaori was released on 20 December 2019.

The Crown-funded research report modules on Maaori Health Trends 1990–2015 were filed in February and March 2019. The Tribunal has also received the following Crown-funded research reports:

Inquiry into Maaori with lived experience of disability

In October 2019, the Tribunal confirmed it would hear and report on all claims relating to disability as phase one of the stage two inquiry. The Tribunal Statement of Issues, which sets out the scope for the inquiry, was confirmed on 23 September 2021 (Wai 2575, #1.4.2).

An accessibility protocol, which provides general guidelines and procedures to enhance the accessibility of the inquiry for participants, was adopted in September 2021 (Wai 2575, #2.6.59(a)).

Hearings, which began in March 2022, have been held in the following locations:

Hearing one (14 – 18 March 2022) via audio-visual link (AVL)
Hearing two (2 – 4 May 2022) via AVL
Hearing three (29 August – 2 September 2022) via AVL
Hearing four (14 – 18 November 2022) via AVL
Hearing five (20 – 24 March 2023) at Papakura Marae in Auckland
Hearing six (19 – 23 June 2023) at the Tribunal’s offices in Wellington
Hearing seven (21 – 25 August 2023) at Papakura Marae in Auckland
Hearing eight (20 – 24 November 2023) at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Bay of Islands in Paihia.
Hearing nine (18 – 22 March 2024) at the Copthorne Hotel Oriental Bay in Wellington
Hearing ten (5 – 9 August 2024) at the Copthorne Hotel Oriental Bay in Wellington
Hearing eleven (2 – 6 December 2024) at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua and the Waitangi Tribunal’s Offices in Wellington

The Tribunal released Hauwhaikaha – the Disability System Report in pre-publication format on 3 September 2026.

Hauwhaikaha: The Disability System Report

Hauwhaikaha: The Disability System Report (Word version and alternate formats)

Inquiry into issues concerning Maaori and mental health and addictions

In October 2019, the Tribunal confirmed it would hear and report on all claims relating to mental health and addictions as phase two of the stage two inquiry. Planning for this inquiry phase is yet to commence.

Te Aka Whai Ora priority inquiry

Urgent inquiry

On 16 February 2024, the Tribunal granted an urgent inquiry into the proposed disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora – The Maaori Health Authority, which, as per the Coalition Government’s 100-Day Plan, a Bill was likely to be introduced on or before 8 March 2024. An urgent hearing into the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora was scheduled for 29 February to 1 March 2024.

On 27 February 2024, the Pae Ora (Disestablishment of Māori Health Authority) Amendment Bill was introduced into the House of Representatives. Upon the introduction of the Bill, the urgent hearing was vacated.

Priority inquiry

On 8 May 2024, following a submissions process, the Tribunal granted a priority inquiry into the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora within the Wai 2575 inquiry. The scope of the priority inquiry was expanded to include the processes and steps taken by the Crown to disestablish Te Aka Whai Ora, as well as the Crown’s proposed alternative plans to address Maaori health outcomes following its disestablishment.

On 1 October 2024, the Tribunal confirmed that the priority inquiry would proceed in two stages:

Stage one would inquire into the processes and steps the Crown has taken in the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora.
Stage two would hear issues concerning the Crown’s proposed alternative plans to address Maaori health in lieu of a Māori health authority.

Stage one of the priority inquiry was conducted on the papers. On 29 November 2024, the Tribunal released its report Hautupua: Te Aka Whai Ora (Maaori Health Authority) Priority Report, Part 1.

The stage two priority hearing was held from 26 – 30 May 2025 via AVL.