About this episode

Dr Nina Scott discusses the challenges faced by Māori in cancer care and the systemic issues affecting their health in Aotearoa.

What if the system that's meant to heal us is actually the thing keeping our whānau sick? Dr Nina Scott has spent six years fighting for something basic: a seat at the table for Māori in cancer care. And the government still said no. In this kōrero recorded at the World Indigenous Cancer Conference in Aotearoa, I sit down with Dr Nina Scott — one of the most respected Māori health leaders in this country, and a global voice for Indigenous cancer equity. We get into the hard stuff: the bowel screening kaupapa that could have saved Māori and Pasifika lives, the political decisions made for votes instead of whānau, Big Tobacco and Big Food's grip on our communities, and the deep mahi being done to reconnect with our whenua, our kai, and our own sovereignty. This conversation matters because it's not just about cancer. It's about how decisions made in offices we'll never sit in are shaping the wellbeing of generations to come — and what we can do about it from where we stand. Episode Breakdown ✨ Why a "seat at the table" is the most basic ask — and still being denied✨ The bowel screening decision that's costing Māori lives✨ Why most Māori bowel cancers are diagnosed before…

People in this episode

Host: Raniera Rewiri

Guest: Dr Nina Scott

Topics covered

• Māori health
• cancer care
• Indigenous equity
• political decisions
• community health
• screening programs

Keywords

• Māori health
• cancer care
• bowel screening
• Indigenous equity
• health system
• community wellbeing

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: World Indigenous Cancer Conference, Big Tobacco, Big Food

Places: Aotearoa

More episodes of Planting Seeds Podcast

• EP267 – Stop Focusing on What You Want & Do This Instead | Grow With Me · May 21, 2026 · 20 min
• EP265 – The Truth About Māori Health Outcomes | Prof. Jason Gurney · May 11, 2026 · 36 min

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