April 01, 2013
Healthy homes programme under threat
A far north iwi leader says cutting home insulation subsidies could have a dire effect on Maori.
Haami Piripi says his Te Rarawa iwi has insulated hundreds of homes under the healthy Homes programme.
Now Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges is refusing to guarantee the scheme will continue.
Mr Piripi says the programme has been hugely successful in his rohe.
"We have high humidity, high rainfall, so we have special needs in terms of insulation and we're providing an environment that doesn't produce the black mould that leads to respiratory disfunction amongst children. We've been able to get on top of that and it's largely due to our healthy homes programme," he says.
Haami Piripi from Te Rarawa