Te Matapihi congratulate Minister Flavell on the announcement of an additional $27m for marae and Māori housing

Heretaunga, 8 May 2017

Te Matapihi would like to congratulate Minister for Māori Development Te Ururoa Flavell on the announcement of several new Māori housing initiatives at a hui at Waipatu Marae in Kahungunu this morning.

Marae Ora – Sustaining the Marae, Sustaining the Pae provides $10m over the next three years to support the development and ongoing sustainability of our marae, recognising the role our marae play as the centre of community life and the place where our reo and tikanga are given their fullest expression.

Kāinga Ora allocates an additional $8m as an extension of the housing repairs programme, which provides essential housing repairs to improve the quality of life for our whānau. This is particularly important for our kaumātua kuia and tamariki as winter approaches.

Pathways to Home-Ownership – Te Ara Mauwhare provides $9m to trial new innovative approaches to get more Māori into homeownership, including shared equity and rent-to-buy arrangements.

“The pathways to home ownership product is significant as it addresses a need that is not currently being fulfilled, and recognises the fundamental importance of home ownership in providing stability amongst our Māori families”, says Te Matapihi Chairperson Rau Hoskins.

Te Matapihi look forward to supporting Te Puni Kōkiri to implement these programmes. We would like to acknowledge Minister Flavell, who has worked hard to consistently secure an increase in pūtea for Māori housing every year, over the past three years he has been in office, for better Māori housing outcomes.

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