Nga Kaitohutohu Kounga Kai
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha. Nei rā te mihi maioha ki a tātou e nōnoke nei i te kaupapa o te iwi Māori.
Welcome to the web page of the Nga Kaitohutohu Kounga Kai, the M ā ori Reference Group, and of Māori consultation activities for Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).
Nga Kaitohutohu Kounga Kai: The people able to guide others in food and nutrition from a Māori world view
Food Standards Australia New Zealand/Te Mana Kounga Kai – Ahitereira me Aotearoa: People who hold the food standards for Australia and New Zealand
Nga Kaitohutohu Kounga Kai
This group was established in 2008 to provide advice to FSANZ on Tikanga Māori (customary practices) and community processes in:
- identifying food standards issues of significance to Māori
- evaluating strategies used to involve Māori in food standards issues
- developing strategies for effective communication with Māori
- consulting on relevant activities.
The group is made up of three members who come from the fields of health and nutrition and a general consumer with knowledge and connections with Māori communities. Each member has an affinity and knowledge of the health and nutrition issues for Māori and can provide input and expert advice from a Māori perspective on food standards matters. Members serve for a two year term, with the possibility of one renewal.
Current members:
Mason Ngawhika
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Ann Thompson
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Hayden Potaka
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A nutritionist of Ngai Tahu and Te Arawa whakapapa, Mason Ngawhika is a health promotion practitioner and works as a Consultant for many health organisations including Te Hotu Manawa Māori, Te Whānau o Waipareira, Waitakere Sport and the Auckland Regional Public Health Service. His main work interest is in applying a holistic and kaupapa Māori approach to nutrition, physical activity and overall health and wellbeing.
Ann Thompson is a public health representative of Ngāti Kahungunu whakapapa. She works as a Health Protection Officer with Public Health South (Invercargill) and has qualifications in applied science and environmental science. Ann has been with Public Health South for eight years and has a lead role in food safety programmes and food safety promotion.
Hayden Potaka is a consumer representative of Nga Rauru Kiitahi in south Taranaki. Hayden works for the Ministry of Māori Development – Te Puni K ō kiri as a Kaiwhakarite and is currently a sitting member of the FSANZ Consumer Liaison Committee. Hayden has a background in the food industry
Click HERE for more on FSANZ’s history of consultation with Māori.
Group Activities
Meetings are usually held by teleconference several times a year, and the group meet kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face) at least once a year. Their core business involves the consideration of projects on the FSANZ work plan, to determine whether or not such projects are of significance to Māori. Each time they meet, Nga Kaitohutohu members receive written and verbal summaries from FSANZ for up to ten projects. For each project, they apply specific criteria for highlighting issues of significance to Māori. Click HERE to view the criteria.
Since their first meeting in October 2008, Nga Kaitohutohu has reviewed numerous applications and proposals from the FSANZ work plan. Approximately half of these projects are considered potentially significant to Māori and are placed on a ‘watching brief’ list for the Nga Kaitohutohu to monitor their progress. Click HERE to view the watching brief list.
Should the Nga Kaitohutohu decide that consultation with the wider Māori community is warranted for a particular application or proposal, they may recommend the project report be circulated to the Māori Network, at the time when it is open for public consultation to all stakeholders (see below for more about the Māori Network). Members of the Māori Network then have the opportunity to make a submission to FSANZ about the project.
In addition to reviewing FSANZ projects, Nga Kaitohotohu members have provided their expertise in several non-standards related areas. These areas include input into:
- a Māori Network panui (newsletter), published quarterly
- the development of a FSANZ educational resource about food labelling for Māori
- the development of a Māori Cultural Awareness training programme for FSANZ staff.
There is also scope for Nga Kaitohutohu to input into other FSANZ activities. For example, the FSANZ Advisory Committee on Novel Foods (ACNF) recently assessed whether the food, manuka leaves/stems, would be considered ‘novel’. Standard 1.5.1 – Novel Foods defines novel food to mean in part a non-traditional food. In their opinion, manuka leaves were traditionally consumed by Māori and could not be considered a novel food. Māori used the leaves to reduce fever and treat colds.
The ACNF noted that for some foods, it would be useful to obtain the views of Nga Kaitohutohu on whether the foods were used traditionally by Māori.
Click HERE for more information on novel foods and a link to other ACNF opinions.
Māori Network
In early 2005, the Kahui Kounga Kai (former Māori Reference Group for FSANZ) identified the need to increase its profile within the Māori community.To facilitate this, the Kahui agreed to establish a Network Database. The purpose of the Database is to develop and maintain a network of Māori interested in providing consultative input into the food standards setting process.To facilitate this process, a series of hui (meeting, gathering) were held through the North Island, at which hui participants were invited to register their interest in being listed on the Database.
The New Zealand Food Safety Authority is the government organisation responsible for the protection of New Zealander’s health and safety and the facilitation of trade in food (Click HERE to link to the New Zealand Food Safety Authority website). In 2006, the New Zealand Food Safety sought to expand its Māori networks in order to effectively communicate food safety and suitability information to Māori consumers.
In July 2006, FSANZ and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority agreed to work more closely together on a number of issues. There was a commitment to share resources and develop a strategic partnership to facilitate communication and consultation with Māori on a broad range of food and potentially nutrition-related issues. The Network Database was viewed as a tool to consult Māori stakeholders through a single forum.
FSANZ has since reviewed existing Database contacts in addition to inviting potential stakeholders from many community sectors, for example the public sector, in education, health and social delivery groups, and in Māori organisations. FSANZ and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority now have an avenue through the Network Database to obtain direct input from Māori in relation to the FSANZ submission process and initial contact with Runanga or Iwi groups in the event that a wider consultation hui or promotional activity to Māori is desired.
FSANZ also offers a free subscription service for the Food Standards News, Notification Circular, Food Surveillance Newsletter and Food Standards Gazette. Click HERE for further information on how to access this service.
FSANZ cultural awareness training of staff
FSANZ staff undertook cultural awareness training in 2003 to help ensure and improve effective relations by bringing about a greater understanding and knowledge of Māori values and culture. New Zealand based-staff also attended a pilot one-day refresher course in June 2006, which was facilitated by Amster Reedy.
In 2009, FSANZ committed to a new Maori programme of cultural awareness training for staff. The programme was developed with the assistance of Nga Kaitohutohu Kounga Kai. Silk Associates and Intugen Limited were contracted to further develop and deliver the course. Four full-day courses were run in Wellington on 24 August and in Canberra on 12 – 14 October. Facilitators Iulia Leilua (Silk Associates) and Che Wilson (Intugen Limited) delivered an interactive multimedia programme to staff, which covered the Australian and New Zealand contexts, an introduction to the Māori world, the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori customs regarding food and its cultural importance, and introduction to Te Reo Māori, and the experience of a Powhiri.
When the programme was run in Canberra, FSANZ arranged a Welcome to Country for Iulia Leilua and Che Wilson from the original inhabitants of the area, the Ngunnawal people.
'Aunty’ Jannette Phillips (local Ngunnawal Elder) and Iulia Leilua exchange gifts
FSANZ staff found the training to be valuable and informative. Further training is planned for a short programme to FSANZ Board members at their next meeting in Wellington, in March 2010.