Bay of Plenty District Health Board has formally apologised for its "racist" COVID-19 vaccine information booklet.
Bay of Plenty District Health Board chair Sharon Shea says the DHB has failed Māori.
"It is clear that the process was not as robust as needed, and this design has caused offence. On this occasion, we have failed our Māori community."
Shea said in a statement, the process had been followed but wasn't robust enough.
"It was designed by a Māori artist, and had input from Māori marketing specialists and it had gone through an approval process, including consultation with some local iwi."
Shea says the imagery isn't good enough.
"I saw the design last night. I was offended by it. It was wrong."
Shea has asked District Health Board Chief Executive Peter Bonneville to begin a review with urgency.
"Initiate a review to ensure we have the appropriate protocols and a robust approval processes in place."
Iwi from Mai I Ngā Kuri a Whaarei ki Tihirau say this goes beyond being offended.
"Beyond offended that the most sacred part of our tinana has been depicted in this manner and unreservedly apologise to all our whānau, hapu, iwi and hāpori communities."
Having a mataora himself, Maori Party Co-leader Rawiri Waititi says is the image is completely inappropriate.
"A mataora is symbolic of life – tikanga, whakapapa, where you come from, and especially your tīpuna."
Waititi says this is exactly why a mataora shouldn't be on the face of a virus.
"Considering COVID-19 has the potential to take life, sums up its misuse in the manner in which it has been used."
Waititi said he has requested a meeting with Bonneville so he can understand what processes were in play to allow this to happen.
The Bay of Plenty District Health Board say the remaining materials will be destroyed, and the design will not be used again.
Race relations commissioner Meng Foon told Newshub the booklet is "racist to the core".
"There we go again, absolutely culturally ignorant, culturally insensitive."
