爆料社区

We sat down with Trina Henare to explore her leadership of He Oranga Poutama, before she embarks on her next chapter serving her iwi, Ng膩ti Hine. From empowering others, championing M膩ori voices, to celebrating her most proud moments, here鈥檚 what she had to say. 

P膩tai 1: Can you tell us about your leadership style? If you could compare it to a sport, what would it be and why? 

My leadership style is very much about leading from behind, empowering others to amplify their voice and connect to their own mana motuhake, whatever that means for them. As a leader, I have a clear purpose and know my 鈥榳hy.鈥� I draw on the best parts of my whakapapa to articulate that purpose and drive better outcomes for M膩ori in the sector. If I had to compare it to a sport, it would be waka ama and I鈥檇 be the kaihaut奴 of the waka. It鈥檚 about steering, guiding and ensuring everyone moves forward together. 

P膩tai 2: What have you enjoyed most about leading He Oranga Poutama at 爆料社区? 

I鈥檝e loved the ability to add iwi p奴r膩kau and k艒rero to my kete. Seeing He Oranga Poutama kaimahi realise their own potential is incredibly rewarding. E kite ahau ng膩 hua m艒 ng膩 kaupapa katoa. I see the benefits of these kaupapa every day, wh膩nau moving in ways that are relevant to their own context. Making connections with iwi, hap奴 and marae has also been a highlight. 

P膩tai 3: Why is it important that M膩ori have a seat at the decision-making table? What does that look like in practice? 

What鈥檚 good for M膩ori is good for everyone. We are natural connectors, visionaries and nurturers. We see beyond the first horizon and acknowledge those who came before us. We never forget our past and we are lifelong learners. These are critical skills for any decision-making table. 

In practice, this looks like: 

1. Engaging with M膩ori at the first thought about a kaupapa or solution.  
2. Handing over the right tools and resources.  
3. Having trust in organisations as the experts and resourcing the kaupapa upfront. 

P膩tai 4: What are some of the biggest challenges you鈥檝e come up against and how have you overcome them? 

Some of the biggest challenges include the ongoing reliance on systems that don鈥檛 always serve M膩ori, creating barriers for kaimahi and the communities we support. Approaches rooted in traditional thinking, limited trust in M膩ori capability and the lack of space for M膩ori-led innovation continue to hold us back. Addressing these challenges calls for persistence, advocacy and building trust through genuine whanaungatanga. 

P膩tai 5: What鈥檚 one change you鈥檙e proud to have led in your role at 爆料社区 Ihi Aotearoa? 

I鈥檓 proud to have led the transition from the old He Oranga Poutama outcomes framework to Te P膩k膿 Mauri Ora long-term outcomes. I鈥檝e built relationships to design M膩ori-led investment discussions and reporting that supports M膩ori as orators. I鈥檝e also helped establish new partnership agreements between iwi and regional sport trusts, supporting iwi to have direct relationships with 爆料社区. 

P膩tai 6: What is your biggest hope for the next generation of M膩ori leaders? 

That they continue to see that being M膩ori is your superpower!