Think tank needed to tackle Maori housing barriers

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Maori housing advocacy group Te Matapihi wants the next Government to form a Maori housing finance think tank to tackle what is a persistent barrier to Maori housing.

Spokesperson Rau Hoskins says with Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox admitting the current Kainga Whenua loan scheme has done next to nothing to get Maori into warm, dry, affordable homes, and Labour promising to reform the scheme, the time is right for a fresh approach.,

The Maori Party has proposed setting up Iwibank, a Maori bank using a mix of taxpayer and Maori money to administer housing, land development and business start-up loans.

New Zealand First has a policy of providing low deposit and low interest finance to support Maori to build houses on collectively owned land.

Mr Hoskins says the proposed think tank of government agencies, financial and legal experts, banking sector reps, iwi representatives and community practitioners could identify critical success factors for lendees and design and pilot innovative financing alternatives.

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