The New Zealand healthcare system is advanced and consists of many aspects that cater to the metro and rural districts of the country. In such context, indigenous communities are often focused on due to the common belief that these communities often undergo racial discrimination in countries like New Zealand and Australia.

Many people, including health leaders in New Zealand, have worked towards uplifting the lifestyle and providing access to healthcare services for the indigenous communities. Robin Milne in one such important figure who work towards improving healthcare access to M?ori people.

Let’s take a look at the celebrated life of Robin Milne and how he contributed towards the betterment of M?ori health.

Who is Robin Milne?

Robin Milne is a celebrated figure in M?ori health. He was an ‘influential’ person not only among M?ori people but also among other New Zealanders. Milne is renowned as the former health boss of Western Bay of Plenty. His legacy lives until today, long after his demise. M?ori people will always remember to pay due respects due their hero.

Robin Milne began his journey as a leader after being appointed as the Chief Operating Office of Taurunga Hospital in the 1990s. He was hired by Dr. Lester Levy and went on to become the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital in 1993. This happened in parallel with the government reforming the health system. Hence, Milne was at a crucial point of change within the health system and played a vital role in the New Zealand healthcare sector.

Following the government health reform, the Area Health Boards were rearranged into 23 Crown Health Enterprises (CHEs). As a result of this, the CHE Western Bay of Plenty was formed, and Milne was appointed as head of the entity.

What members of his executive team had to say

Many are known to praise this great character who has done a tremendous amount of work in uplifting M?ori health. Here is what members of his executive team, which is the “tight five”, had to say about this legacy character:

Janice Kuka, who was a dedicated member of Milne’s executive team, says that he was an excellent support for the advancement of M?ori health.

His ward in the hospital, which is the Kaupapa M?ori, is still there. His legacy lives as the M?ori staff there still remembers him and have advanced to become national leaders.

Kuka says that the community was dissatisfied with the management of M?ori health and how they are treated in hospitals and clinics. At this point, Milne worked towards convincing the hospital management to establish a Kaupapa M?ori unit within the hospital.

Milne, Kuka, and other members of his executive team all worked towards supporting M?ori to establish Te Puna Hauora, which ultimately led to the setup of the Kaupapa M?ori unit at the hospital.

His legacy still lives

According to Kuka, Milne was not the only one involved in this, but he was the most influential person around and really worked hard towards achieving his objective.

The Kaupapa M?ori unit was the first for Aotearoa and has not been replicated anywhere else in NZ. The ward is an open ward that accepts anyone and takes a holistic approach following M?ori practices to treat, heal, and care for patients. Therefore, there is much spiritual support available, and wh?nau, or extended families are also accommodated.

Nurses at the ward are well-trained to treat anyone, be it M?ori or not. Milne was highly respected among M?ori people as he had the courage to support them when no one else was willing to at the time. M?ori people that it was a major part of the structural change that occurred within the process of addressing M?ori health. Milne continued his dedicated work toward M?ori health until he died.

Another one of the staff members who worked with Milne, Geoff Smith, who is the former human resources manager for Western Bay of Plenty Health said that Milne was a special and rare person. He started the “tight five” team of executives from scratch and headhunted them to carry out hospital functions and operations with its 4000-odd staff.

Milne’s objective was to make the hospital a place where the employees were happy and excited to work in. He believed that the staff should feel the value of their contribution to the hospital and make a difference in the lives of their patients.

More insights from colleagues

Alyson Howell who was a former Western Bay of Plenty customer services manager is also someone who has worked closely with Milne. Howell believes that Milne was the right man for that time when M?ori health was not given the attention that it deserved. He was apt at balancing the business approach necessary with empathy for patients.

One such example is of a patient named James Lynch who was in the hospital for 44 years due to an electrocution at 14 years that left him critically disabled. He came into the hospital’s care in 1957 once the motor functions of his body deteriorated.

Milne was determined to find Lynch alternative medical care and support because hospitals were generally for acutely sick patients. He also didn’t want Lynch to go anywhere else because this was his home and where he was understood.

Milne finally managed to provide Lynch with the care he deserved. Eventually, Lynch died in the hospital in 2001. He was 84 years old at the time of his death.

Howell describes Milne as a remarkable leader who was continuously dedicated to making healthcare services as fair and inclusive as possible for patients and their families, staff, and the community.

Once Milne left Western Bay of Plenty Health in 1997 he moved on to become a consultant. However, his executive team, the ‘tight friends’, literally remained tight friends forever.

People who have worked under and during the time of Milne continue doing the healthcare business in the same way that he taught them to do it. It shows how much his leadership style has influenced people, which continues to this day.

Robin Milne: The artist

During the latter part of his life, Robin Milne took up arts and even put up a mini gallery at one of his favorite cafés in Te Puna. His daughter Georgie states that her father was specifically keen on exploring drawing with pencils and pastels. He constantly drew different pictures and was proud of them. He was also known to have been interested in writing but never got around to being an author. He also enjoyed listening to different genres of music in his pastime.

Omokoroa was where he called home and adored it as much as his three grandchildren Eva Rose, Boston, and Portia. 

Milne had a great sense of humor, was a lively character, and was very thoughtful of others, especially M?ori people.

This great man, who made tremendous contributions towards M?ori health died suddenly at his home in Omokoroa on the 28^th of April, 2023 at the age of 75. A private cremation was held as his family wished.

M?ori Health and healthcare reforms

Coming back to M?ori health, it is what Milne was so dedicated to during his entire life. Here’s a look at M?ori health and healthcare reforms that took place over the years.

The 1991 healthcare reforms showcased M?ori participation which was against the background of their engagement and involvement in health reforms since the dawn of the century. M?ori people sought autonomous healthcare during this period. Conventional indigenous medical specialists or ‘healers’ have treated M?ori people in the same way that they have treated people of other indigenous communities. However, M?ori people argued this on the basis of their health status and their rights with respect to the Treaty of Waitangi. All of these led to the evaluation of M?ori health and the healthcare reforms in relation to M?ori participation.

The future of M?ori health – The 2022 Aotearoa New Zealand health reforms

The new M?ori Health Authority, Te Aka Whai Ora, was launched on 1 July 2022. The event signified one of the most crucial health system changes in the recent history of Aotearoa New Zealand. This newly established authority joins with other government institutions, including Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ), and Whaikaha, which is the Ministry of Disabled People.

The Hauora M?ori Ministerial Advisory Committee was also established to be kept alongside a slimmed-down Manat? Hauora (Ministry of Health) focused on incorporating a re-established Public Health Agency.

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