The Hon Tariana Turia
Maori Party Co-Leader

7 September 2011

Turia Supportive of Auditor General Findings on Maori Land

A performance audit report, 'Government planning and support for housing on Māori land, Ngā whakatakotoranga kaupapa me te tautoko a te Kāwanatanga ki te hanga whare i runga i te whenua Māori' provides a useful resource for whanau to access Government planning and support for housing on their whanau whenua according to Mrs Turia.

The report looked specifically at whether the Government's support for, and regulation of, housing developments on Maori land was effective and efficient. The Auditor General has found that Maori face the same barriers to developing Maori land that they did 30 years ago.

"I'm pleased that these findings have come out even if it's to point out the inevitable- 30 years and nothing has changed.

Processes and solutions have been identified that service providers need to take heed of, that's what is important for whanau now. The process to build on multiply owned Maori land is complex and the report looks specifically at whether the Government’s support for, and regulation of, housing developments on Māori land was effective and efficient"

"The Auditor General's recommendations are clear:

• the agencies involved in providing advice and support must coordinate what they do locally
• local authorities must build appropriate flexibility into their district plans to allow housing to be built on Māori land;
• and local authorities should identify and work with landowners who have particularly suitable" says Maori Party Co-Leader Mrs Turia.

"I hope that as a result of the Auditor-General's report, we will see more Maori whanau in housing that they will actually own, on their whanau whenua.

This will go a long way to building whanau ora for future generations"

For more information on the report http://www.oag.govt.nz/2011/housing-on-maori-land/2011/housing-on-maori-land/docs/housing-on-maori-land.pdf

ENDS

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