Listen Now: 
Labour’s Maori Affairs spokesperson Nanaia Mahuta says the Government’s new He Whare Ahuru He Oranga Tangata Maori Housing Strategy is a way of avoiding the state’s obligation to provide social housing for those most in need.
The strategy launched in Kaitaia yesterday by Associate Housing Minister Tariana Turia calls for more Maori organisations to get involved in building houses, managing rental tenancies, providing affordable rentals and developing home ownership programmes for Maori whanau.
Ms Mahuta says it’s a way of passing the cost of social housing onto Maori or iwi organisations.
She says the Government talked up the possibility of iwi and Maori community organisations becoming housing providers.
It then left them empty handed by failing to put money on the table to help them build up housing stock.
Labour will work to reduce the obstacles to building on Maori land, increase the social housing stock and look for ways to partner with iwi to develop housing.
Copyright © 2014, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
RELATED NEWS
