Auckland Māori Housing Summit to Focus on Development Opportunities
16 April 2018
The Auckland Māori Housing Summit is an opportunity for Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau to help shape the future of housing development in Auckland, and to address housing issues in the region with key government Ministers, the Chairman of the Independent Māori Statutory Board, David Taipari says.
Organised by the Board and Te Matapihi he tirohanga mō te iwi Trust (Te Matapihi), the 23 April Summit will be attended by Housing and Urban Development Minister Hon Phil Twyford, and the Minister of Māori Development and Local Government, Hon NanaiaMahuta.
The Ministers have been invited to respond to two broad critical issues. The first is how Māori can participate in the government’s KiwiBuild programme and the Auckland Housing Programme. The second focus is supporting the development of strong, enduring relationships between the new government and Māori throughout the Auckland region.
KiwiBuild is Labour’s flagship housing policy, now government commitment, to build 100,000 houses over ten years including 50,000 in Auckland. Around 60% of the Auckland KiwiBuild target will be delivered by Housing New Zealand and HLC (Homes Land Community, formerly Hobsonville Land Company) through the Auckland Housing Programme.
This is government funded housing development at scale across Auckland, and the Summit provides a platform for querying where the commercial and financial benefits from the KiwiBuild policy platform will fall, and how the Auckland Housing Programme will reflect enduring and living partnerships between the Crown and Māori.
Tony Kake , the Board’s Housing representative says, “Auckland’s housing crisis is particularly acute for Māori and this Summit will provide an opportunity to hear from senior government Ministers on how they see Māori contributing to the solution, including participating in commercial opportunities and how they see Māori whanau benefitting in the medium and long term through increased supply, and housing availability.”
Māori expertise in housing development and land management continues to grow rapidly in Tāmaki Makaurau.
“From our perspective the Hobsonville (HLC) model has had some success, but the success of developments by Māori is not well recognised. Waimahia exemplifies both partnership and housing outcomes for whanau, providing a proven model for future development at scale, practical relationship building, and – importantly - supporting the future resident community. Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei delivers community inspired affordable housing, and other entities are following closely with innovative partnerships and practical solutions to Auckland’s land prices. So we just want to ask the question “How have these examples informed the government’s approach?”
The challenge for HLC will be to deliver on the social and affordable housing outcomes required by KiwiBuild, outcomes not well tested in the company’s Hobsonville experience.
“Iwi and Mataawaka groups in Auckland are now deeply involved with housing development, and they do so with a long term, social outcomes perspective unique in the market place and closely aligned to the government’s long term intergenerational responsibilities. Supporting Ministers to recognise these at times under-utilised capabilities, supports enduring Crown/Māori relationships focussed on housing outcomes with and for Māori.” David Taipari says.
Representatives of Mana Whenua, Mataawaka and some housing sector organisations are expected to attend the Summit.