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December 18, 2025
Homelessness Surges Under Government as Māori Whānau Feel the Impact
Waatea Team
Posted On December 18, 2025
New data and community reports are painting a stark picture of homelessness in Aotearoa – one that shows the problem worsening under the current Government, with Māori whānau disproportionately affected.
A Homelessness Insights Report released recently confirms that homelessness across New Zealand continues to rise, even as ministers have downplayed the scale of the crisis. The report shows that the number of people experiencing homelessness – including rough sleeping, temporary accommodation and severe housing deprivation – has increased in multiple regions, signalling deepening housing instability nationwide.
Advocates point out that the increase is not accidental. The Christopher Luxon Government’s policies on emergency housing access and funding changes have coincided with a sharp uptick in people sleeping rough and families without secure homes. In Auckland alone, rough sleeping has grown significantly, echoing concerns raised by community groups earlier in the year about rising homelessness under National leadership.
The crisis is particularly acute for Māori. Sector data shows that Māori are disproportionately affected by homelessness, with one third of women experiencing homelessness identifying as Māori. This highlights the ongoing structural inequities in housing access and affordability.
Frontline agencies report that the visibility of homelessness has increased beyond major cities into suburban and regional communities, with services struggling to keep up. High demand for emergency housing support coincides with a drop in funding and a tightening of criteria for support grants, leaving many whānau without a clear pathway to stable accommodation.
Community leaders warn that the Government’s current approach – one that focuses on short-term funding blocks rather than sustained, wraparound support – is inadequate. They are calling for long-term investment that prioritises kaupapa Māori housing solutions, permanent social housing, and fully funded outreach services that can respond to the complex causes of homelessness, including health, trauma and poverty.
For Māori communities, homelessness is more than a lack of shelter – it reflects broader inequities rooted in historical dispossession, wage stagnation, unaffordable housing markets and systemic barriers to secure tenancy. Whānau leaders say that unless these root causes are addressed with urgency and genuine Treaty-based solutions, the crisis will continue to deepen.
As 2025 draws to a close, homelessness is emerging as one of the most pressing social crises facing Aotearoa – not just in numbers, but in its clear impact on Māori whānau and the urgent need for meaningful, lasting change.
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