Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa has today welcomed a $1 million grant from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to convert Turiroa School in Wairoa into temporary accommodation for trades needed for the Wairoa rebuild as part of the Cyclone Gabrielle recovery.

The MBIE funding means work can begin almost immediately on converting the former school, which was part of the post-treaty settlement for Wairoa iwi and hapū. The converted school will provide accommodation for up to 19 people with trades needed for the rebuild and later as a residence for horticulture cadets needed as a part of the organisation’s horticulture strategy.

Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa Chief Executive Lewis Ratapu said the project will contribute to the Wairoa rebuild and recovery on multiple levels. “It means we have accommodation for the workforce we need now to get displaced whānau back into liveable homes, as well as for our future workforce as a part of our long term economic strategy for the rohe.”

Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa is working with iwi and hapū to also convert North Clyde School into a training and education facility. The district lacks a large tertiary education campus and facilities. Kāhui who will own the property are keen to see education return to the site of the former primary school. Trade training is just one of the education initiatives proposed for the school with a small building factory, workshop and classrooms well into the planning stage.

Lewis Ratapu says over 600 whānau remain displaced following Cyclone Gabrielle, many still waiting for recategorisation before any repair or rebuilding work on their homes can begin. The factory will provide much-needed temporary housing for those families, and will help address the shortage of affordable, liveable housing in Te Wairoa.

“We have people who are not able to live in their homes, not able to fix their homes, and many are living in make-shift, overcrowded conditions or have moved back into damp and damaged homes despite the health risks. This project will finally deliver some hope for those families.”

He acknowledged MBIE for supporting the by Māori, for Māori solution to the housing and employment challenges the rohe faces.

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