Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox is counting an initiative to address homelessness in the regions as a significant budget win for the party.
Ms Fox says its focus on poverty reduction paid off with the $25 increase in benefit rates for some families, which kicks in next April.
She says another $100 million spend issues of whenua, whanau and whare in programmes under the control of Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell.
Ms Fox says she also managed to get a small package to establish night shelters for the homeless.
"In the regions where they have not had a homeless problem before, they now do. We need to address that and give some relief. That is not going to solve it but it is going to provide a place for those people who are sleeping rough to go to because councils in the regions don't know what to do about it and they don't have the infrastructure and facilities," she says.
Copyright © 2015, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
