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Iwi leaders are eying state housing stock as a basis for their own housing empires.
The issue of iwi playing a greater role in housing was raised with the Government during the Iwi Leaders Forum at Waitangi this month.
Negotiator Willie Te Aho says that was followed up on Friday at a meeting with Housing New Zealand, which has 70,000 houses.
Some will be covered by the rights to surplus crown properties that iwi negotiate into their treaty settlements.
"So Waikato Tainui has an area that covers the raupatu, the million acres that was confiscated, and in that area we have a right of first refusal to Housing New Zealand stock as it comes onto the market and we want to do that in bulk rather than doing it in bits and pieces as they come available, and there are rights of first refusal across the country," Mr Te Aho says.
He says at Waitangi, Housing Minister Nick Smith indicated he was keen to have the discussion about selling off surplus houses.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH WILLIE TE AHO CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MTUzODM=
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