TRMA Regional Conference 2026
TŪKOTAHI | Standing Together
📅 Wednesday 15th April 2026
📍 Waitangi Treaty Grounds
TRMA Member Ticket: $250 + GST
Non-Member Ticket: $350 + GST
Be part of a transformative gathering that celebrates Māori leadership in health and safety and supports meaningful change where it matters most — with our people.
This conference is about connection, collaboration, and action. Together, we can uplift wellbeing, honour tikanga, and create safer workplaces for all.
Let’s create a safer, more inclusive Aotearoa – together. 🌿
SECURE YOUR TICKET
We offer flexible payment options to suit you.
Choose Pay now or Pay later at checkout.
Pay now: Pay securely online by credit card.
Pay later: TRMA will send you an invoice to complete payment within 7 days.
Conference Programme
A one-day journey of kōrero, connection and collective action.
| TIME | ACTIVITY | WHO |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | Registration | TRMA Admin |
| 9:00 AM | Powhiri and handover of Mauri | TBA |
| 9:30 AM | Introductions and engagement activity | Nik Jessop |
| 10:00 AM | Ngati Hine Kaumatua | TBA |
| 10:15 AM | Tainui Kaumatua | Tukoroirangi Morgan |
| 10:30 AM | Interactive Activity | Hinga and Lloyd Whiu |
| 10:35 AM | Keynote Address | TBA |
| 11:15 AM | Keynote Address | TBA |
| 12:00 PM | LUNCH | |
| 1:00 PM | Panel Discussion and Q&A Panel made up of selection of speakers and Keynotes | Dr Sarah Gardiner |
| 1:30 PM | Workshops / Breakout Sessions | TRMA |
| 3:00 PM | Keynote Address | Rob Mokaraka |
| 3:40 PM | TRMA Closing Reflections | Pene Wahanui Hemi |
| 3:50 PM | Karakia Whakakapi | TBA |
| 4:00 PM | Close and End of Event | |
2026 SPEAKERS TBA
Speaker bios are regularly updated. Speaker profiles will be added soon – check back for updates.
Nik Jessop (MC)
Ko Mākeo te maunga
Ko Waiaua te awa
Ko Omarumutu te marae
Ko Tutāmure te whare tipuna
Ko Hine-i-Kauia te wharekai
Ko Ngati Rua
takenga te hapū
Ko Whakatohea te Iwi
Ko Nik Jessop toku ingoa
No reira Tena koutou, Tena koutou katoa.
My wife and I have been privileged to raise our children amongst our people of Ngāti Hine – Ngā Uri o Kawiti, and Te Hikatu o Ngāpuhi. These connections to whakapapa and whenua shape how we care for people and support collective wellbeing.
With nearly two decades working across the regulatory space and critical‑risk sectors, my approach to health, safety, and wellbeing is practical and people‑focused. I believe strong culture builds strong people and teams. When people feel cared for and respected, safer choices follow.
I am passionate about helping individuals and industries share safety knowledge in ways that make sense on the ground. Relationships are powerful. When people work together with trust and care, meaningful and lasting change becomes possible, and everyone is supported to return home safely to their whānau.
Tukoroirangi Morgan
Tukoroirangi (Tuku) Morgan (Ngaati Makirangi, Ngaati Mahuta, Ngaati Maahanga) is the current Chair of Waikato Tainui’s executive arm, Te Arataura. He is a former Member of Parliament and had an extensive career in broadcasting.
Tuku previously served on the Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) Board from 2015 to 2017 and again from 2021 to 2024. He is the current Chair of Pou Taiao, leading energy, freshwater, and environmental matters on behalf of the National Iwi Chairs Forum.
Tuku also maintains interests in several business organisations and is actively involved with his marae and wider community.
Dr Sarah Gardiner
Ko Pouerua te maunga
Ko Tauramarere te awa
Ko Ngātokimatawhaorua te waka
Ko Ōtiria te marae
Ko Kawiti te tūpuna
Ko Ngāti Te Ara, ko Ngāti Kōpaki ngā hapū
Ko Ngāti Hine, ko Ngāti Kahu ngā iwi
I tipu au ki te pāmu o taku kuia ki Orauta, i runga i te māra o Ngāti Hine Pukepuke Rau
Ko Sarah Gardiner tōku ingoa
Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
An Urgent Care Physician, Sarah considers it a privilege to care for whānau on the mills of Tasman and Kinleith over the past five years, and thrives on the innovation of our 11 committed staff. Hara mai!
We want to be an advocate for the wellbeing and thriving Māori workforce. We have found an innovative and forward-thinking model that has evolved over many years with the history of the Tasman Mill, where our foundation health centre is based. After extending to Tokoroa (Kinleith) Mill and Tauranga industrial spaces, we have seen the benefits to employees when they have fully funded doctors and nurses on site.
Expanding into telemedicine to take this service to isolated workforces in forestry and fisheries, we at Industry Med believe we are the first Māori-owned company to make use of a fully private model of funding, distributing care to those workers most isolated and most at risk of workplace harm. We are excited to be included in Te Rōpū Marutau o Aotearoa Conference 2026 and can’t wait to learn from you all.
Rob Mokaraka
Rob Mokaraka is an actor/writer who experienced a public mental and spiritual breakdown in 2009, during which he was shot by police at close range. After years of recovery, he created a tool for healing and educating communities and organisations about mental wellbeing, suicide prevention, and aftercare.
His theatre show/seminar, Shot Bro – Confessions of a Depressed Bullet, tours Australasia. Rob shares his deeply personal story with raw honesty and humor. This powerful story blends education, entertainment, and emotional safety to ignite meaningful conversations about mental health.
Rob affiliates to Ngāpuhi moana ariki, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Ruapani, and Ngāti Kahungunu.
Visit: Shot Bro | Rob Mokaraka | Suicide Prevention & Awareness
Pene Wahanui Hemi
Ko Tainui te Waka
Ko Wetekia te Maunga
Ko Raukawa te Moana
Ko Whakatu te Marae
Ko Ngāti Koata te Iwi
Pene is a father of four and papa to three. One of his greatest successes is that his wife of over 34 years still loves him.
Pene has a background in design, marketing, construction, and project management, with over 30 years’ experience managing local, national, and international events such as the Pasifika Living Arts Festival, the Auckland Easter Show, and the Waka AMA national and world championships. He has also promoted smoke-free and safe-driving messages in schools nationwide.
He has led the health and safety team for Tainui Group Holdings for over 8 years and has been a trustee on TRMA since its inception. He uses his experience to develop health and safety programs for organisations and communities.
Pene is passionate about helping people, building relationships, having fun, and simplifying health and safety.
Background
TRMA has held a national conference for Māori for the past 3 years. The intent has always been to have other areas help with the planning and running of the event. After the 2025 conference Ngāti Hine wanted the opportunity to host it up north in 2026 and this is the basic plan for the event.
The 2026 TRMA Regional Māori Health & Safety Conference will be held at the historic Treaty Grounds in Waitangi on 15 April 2026, hosted by Kotahitu o Ngāpuhi — a collective of iwi, community groups, and leaders committed to transformation through unity.
This year’s theme, TŪKOTAHI – Standing Together, builds upon the 2025 theme of Kotahitanga, honouring the legacy of the late Kīngi Tūheitia, whose reign was defined by his mission to unite Māori across Aotearoa. His vision of kotahitanga was not just about being together — it was about moving forward together, with shared purpose and strength. a movement not of sameness, but of shared purpose, where each iwi, hapū, and whānau contributes its unique voice to the collective wellbeing of our people.
Kotahitu o Ngāpuhi was imagined through various wānanga of the rōpū who came together as a committee to organise the TRMA Conference in 2026. The rōpū hosting the 2026 event is a made up of local iwi, community groups, Industry professionals and Leaders.
“te karanga o te tū” transformative, elevate shed the old skin, stripping sap wood to reveal heartwood
Puwaitanga -Tuakana/Teina – Kotahitu
Anchoring in the present, connection to past and future, standing anchored in the space between the past and the future, Te piringa o ngā tūpuna me ngā Mokopuna.
Ko te punga o te waka, hei ūnga mō te rangi āpōpō.
The anchor of the canoe is the landing place for tomorrow.
This is a time to ground, reflect and release with no regrets.
The mauri does not die it moves. It is carried by new hands, into new waters.
Standing Together
Kotahitanga is about being united and now united we want to Stand Together – TŪKOTAHI
Kotahitanga is about being united and now united we want to Stand Together – TŪKOTAHI
Mai te Kotahitanga e puawai TŪKOTAHI
“Standing together” means more than unity — it means collaboration, resilience, and shared responsibility. In the face of disproportionate injury rates among Māori in the workplace, we must embrace culturally grounded tools and approaches that reflect who we are.
The 2025 TRMA conference theme was Kotahitanga. It is Māori for unity, togetherness, solidarity, and collective action. TRMA felt the importance of embracing Kotahitanga as the theme out of respect for Kingi Tuheitia’s mission to unite all Māori across Aotearoa.
However, while everyone can be unified in a theme, the approach can vary between differing demographics and research has shown that different approaches are necessary for different cultures. The reality is that if the high rates of injuries for Māori are to come down, then we need a united Māori approach.
It is for these reasons that TRMA is focusing on TŪKOTAHI the theme for 2026.
Tūkotahi meaning is about "standing together and standing united”.
In her first national address, Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Po, echoed this kaupapa, urging Māori to shift from protest to progress:
“Let wounds turn to scars.”
A call to heal and transform pain into strength.
“He kai kei aku ringa — there is food in my hands.”
A declaration of readiness and Māori-led solutions.
Her words inspire the 2026 conference to be more than a gathering — it is a movement of transformation, where we shed the old and reveal the heartwood of our collective strength.
"Standing united" means to work together as a group, which makes that group stronger and more likely to succeed. The proverb, "united we stand, divided we fall," suggests that if people are separated or working against each other, they are weak and vulnerable to failure. It is an expression of the strength found in unity and collaboration.
Stronger together: The core meaning is that unity brings strength. A group that is united is more capable of overcoming challenges and achieving its goals than individuals working alone.
No one wants anyone to be harmed at mahi, however it would be nice if we could agree to embracing the same tools and resources to improve our current statistics. There is growing evidence that following cultural practices can improve the wellbeing of everyone, not the culture of SOP’s or SSSP’s but culture based on people.
TRMA launched Haumaru Tāngata in 2023 and since then have rolled it out throughout Aotearoa. While it is still a guide, it is already proving to be a useful tool for businesses everywhere.
2026 gives TRMA an opportunity to bring people together to show how Haumaru Tāngata can be integrated more easily and to share examples and tips on what you can do.
JOIN US
In the spirit of TŪKOTAHI, this conference brings together leaders, kaimahi, rangatahi, and experts in health and safety to:
• Share innovative practices rooted in tikanga Māori
• Build networks of support across rohe and sectors
• Empower whānau wellbeing through culturally grounded H&S strategies
• Honour the mana of workers and the mauri of workplaces
Come stand with TRMA at the place where two nations once met — and where we now gather to stand as one. TŪKOTAHI is our call to action. It is our commitment to change. It is our promise to each other.
Register your interest today and be part of a transformative experience that honours the past, anchors in the present, and moves boldly into the future.
Join us where the history of two nations, came together, but more importantly, agree to come and stand with TRMA as we make a stand for change, stand with us Tūkotahi.
Seats are limited so purchase your ticket today.
Our Partners
Our Trustees
Wayne Kohi, Trustee Chairperson (Whakatōhea)
Ko Tarakeha te maunga, Ko Opepe te awa, Ko Opape te marae, Ko Ngai Tamahaua te hapū, Ko Whakatohea te Iwi Ka Wayne Kohi ahau. Kia tau te aroha noa o to tatau Ariki, o Ihu Karaiti ki o koutou wairua.
Wayne is married to Linda and together they have four tamariki and live in Tauranga. His Health and Safety experience extends 30 years in areas of management systems, machine safety, transport and asbestos.
He’s passionate about the Kaupapa to reduce the disproportionate injury stats of Maori in general and believes that Te Rōpu Marutau o Aotearoa can help to reduce these statistics by changing the way we measure and administer Health and Safety systems.
Encouraging whanaungatanga between Maori and Tangata Tiriti to unify our efforts plays a big role in the quality of our initiatives. Without this, restoration of trusting relationships will not be achieved.
Event Portfolio: TRMA Chairman | TRMA Introductions
Jodhi Warwick-Ponga, Trustee (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa)
Tēnā koutou katoa, Ko Tākitimu taku waka, ko Aorangi taku maunga, ko Ruamahanga taku awa, ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa taku iwi, ko Ngāti Hinewaka taku hapū, ko Tuhirangi taku marae, ko Piripi Te Maari tōku tūpuna.
Jodhi is a dedicated, energetic and innovative Senior Manager who has significant experience in the private and voluntary sectors. An enthusiastic and flexible individual with a passion for people development combined with the ability to adapt easily. Can build and develop strong working relationships at all levels of an organisation and within the community.
A dedicated individual, recognised as a respected team player who brings a positive energy and a positive attitude both personally and professionally.
Event Portfolio: Advertising-Marketing | Media Liaison
Mel Brown, Trustee (Ngāti Maniapoto)
Ko Tainui te waka, Ko Maniapoto te iwi, Ngāti Urunumia te Hapu, Kakepuku te Maunga, Pūniu te Awa, Ko Te kotahitanga rāua ko Mangarama ōku papakainga, Ko Mel taku ingoa.
Mel Brown has over 20yrs experience as an Official Assessor in the meat industry. He is also a frontline HSR for over 15 years and has been serving as the national H&S delegate for 5 years. He currently holds the position of Shift Supervisor for AsureQuality – Kaitiaki Kai. Mel is a respected and dedicated sector mangai (representative) who serves on both the State Sector and TRONTA committees for the PSA Union – Te Pukenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
Mel’s passion is to share his experience and enhance worker engagement and representation. In addition, he is an executive member of TRMA Te Rōpū Marutau Aotearoa (The Maori Health and Safety Association of NZ). Mel’s outstanding contributions to workplace health and safety were recognized when he was selected as a finalist in the HSR of the Year category at the New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards in 2019.
Event Portfolio: Kaitiaki Liaison | Support Personnel
Gerard Jull, Trustee (Ngā Puhi/ Te Rarawa)
Anei Toku pepeha mai I te taha o toku whaea, Ko Ngatokimatawhaorua me Kurahaupo ōku waka, Ko Te Ramaroa me Hinerake ōku maunga, Ko Whirinaki me Rotokakahi ōku awa, Ko Ngā Puhi me Te Rarawa ōku iwi, Ko Te Hikutu me Te Uri o Tai ōku Hapu, Ko Pa Te Aroha me Ohaki o Pawarenga ōku marae, Ko Kupe te tupuna, Ko Gerard Jull tōku ingoa
I currently work for Waiotahi Contractors Limited in the Bay of Plenty as the Senior Health and Safety Advisor. I have over 10 years of experience in Health and Safety working in managing events, agriculture, horticulture, civil construction, quarrying, transport, and the meat industry.
I am passionate about Health and Safety and am working hard to ensure this whakatauki is enacted.
“Me hoki ora pai koutou ki o koutou kainga ia ra”
“Every person to go home healthy and safe every day,”
Pene (Benjamin) Wahanui Hemi, Trustee (Ngāti Koata, Tainui)
Pene (Ngāti Koata, Tainui) is a father of four, papa to three and says one of his greatest successes, is that his wife of over 30 years, still loves him.
Professionally Pene has experience in managing events nationally and internationally, has worked for event venues, councils, and a circus. He has contracted privately and has played a major role in the planning and management of the 2006 World Waka Ama Sprint Champs and the 2014 Land War Commemorations.
Over the past 6 years, Pene has been the Health and Safety Adviser for Tainui group holdings, supported Waikato Tainui with their major events and has served as a trustee for TRMA while also supporting his iwi as a former trustee for Ngati Koata.
Event Portfolio: Event Manager