A Ngāti Awa elder says that it is important to have a collaborative approach to housing for Māori. More than 300 Māori researchers have been engaged in discussions for the last three days at Te Papa, on finding solutions to end our country's housing crisis.
Hemana Eruera says, "Here at this conference are the different groups and organisations who have done the research and have collated all the information around those of our whānau still struggling to find good housing."
Kōkōhinau Marae in Te Teko opened five new homes in March 2018 for local families who were left homeless after the 2016 flooding of Edgecumbe.
"Land was given for our marae, Kōkōhinau, to develop papa kāinga housing although they were initially just temporary housing for those in need. It was to enable time for whānau to sort themselves. Cost for housing is forever increasing but pay wages for our Māori people are not."
Māori Development and Associate Housing Minister Nanaia Mahuta attended the Shift Aotearoa conference at Te Papa today to engage with like-minded people who are dedicated to finding better solutions for Māori.
Mahuta says, "We're putting the call out for groups to talk with us so that we know exactly what the issues are for Māori."
Kōkōhinau Marae took honours at the 2019 Housing Awards last night as well as being named a joint winner of the Excellence in Social Housing Award.