26 May 2016

Māori Party continues to support housing solutions

Māori Party Co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell announced an extra $12.6 million over four years earlier this month, bringing the total annual operating budget to $17.5 million. Launched last year, the Network provides funds for the development of new whare, housing repairs, infrastructure and papakāinga.

Mr Flavell says, “The Māori Housing Network, which is a result of the government’s Māori Housing Strategy launched by former Māori Party Co-leader Dame Tariana Turia, has already supported hundreds of whānau to realise their housing aspirations.”

The focus for the Māori Housing Network is on assisting whānau with high housing needs and developing the Māori Housing Sector.

Māori Party Co-leader Marama Fox has been a strong advocate for the homeless and she welcomed the pre-Budget announcement of $41.1 million for emergency housing.

“It is a sad indictment on our country that there is a growing number of people sleeping rough on the streets, in cars or in garages.

“We need to do everything we can to at least provide people with safe shelter.”

She also welcomes the additional funding of $18 million to extend the Warm-up Healthy Homes programme. It delivers insulation retrofits to low income households with high health needs.

Mrs Fox says the Māori Party initiated an insulation programme to warm up low-income homes back in 2009 and it has been a strong supporter of the Warm Up New Zealand scheme ever since.

Since the 2014 General Election, the Māori Party has:

• Advocated for emergency housing

• Lobbied for a Warrant of Fitness on all rental properties

• Launched the Māori Housing Network which now has a budget of $17.5 million per annum

• Supported iwi and Māori groups that want to provide social housing providers

• Supported National’s Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill and Labour’s Healthy Homes Bill; both of which seek to raise the health and safety standards of rental properties.

The Māori Party will continue to lobby the Government on providing enough emergency housing, increasing the supply of affordable homes and raising the health and safety standards of rental properties.

ends

© Scoop Media