On Waitangi Day (Feb 6, 2026) we honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its enduring significance to Aotearoa New Zealand. 

In the face of the profound  socio-economic and environmental challenges confronting our nation and the world,  it is  timely to reflect on our founding document and its history, engage with the realities of the present, and reaffirm our commitment to partnership, equity, and the shared wellbeing of all communities.

This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion — a timely reminder that Te Tiriti and the Charter, on which health promotion in NZ is based on, continue to shape approaches to health and wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Together, they provide a powerful, values-based guide for advancing equity, partnership, and collective wellbeing.

They remain as relevant today as ever. In the face of persistent health inequities, they challenge us to centre justice, partnership, and community-led solutions—reminding us that achieving health equity is not optional, but essential to the wellbeing of all in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Health promotion in New Zealand is grounded in the Charter’s core action areas, including building healthy public policy, creating supportive environments, strengthening community action, developing personal skills, and reorienting health services.

Te Tiriti gives these action areas local meaning and obligation, ensuring they are applied in ways that uphold Māori rights, recognise tino rangatiratanga, mana motuhake and address long-standing inequities.

HPF’s Executive Director Sione Tui’tahi said: “Together, Te Tiriti and the Ottawa Charter establish an economic, ecological, and ethical framework capable of uniting the nation, strengthening recognition of interdependence, and advancing collective action toward holistic wellbeing, social cohesion, and shared prosperity.”

Health promotion and public health organisations across Aotearoa increasingly recognise that achieving equitable health outcomes requires more than individual behaviour change.

Guided by Te Tiriti and the Ottawa Charter, efforts are focused on systemic change, prevention, and enabling communities to have greater control over the factors that influence their health.

As health challenges become more complex and challenging -- from pandemics and global health security to climate change -- they continue to provide a shared, values-based foundation for advancing health, equity, and collective wellbeing for all people in Aotearoa New Zealand.