Meka Whaitiri
MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti

MEDIA STATEMENT

28 July 2016

Numbers of Māori waiting for homes grows

With the number of Māori households waiting for homes increasing by more than 20 per cent in the past year, it’s time the Māori Party admits its support of the Government’s state house sell-off has made life worse for whānau, Labour’s MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti Meka Whaitiri says.

“At the end of June, there were 1648 Māori or whānau waiting for homes on the Social Housing Register. This is 100 more than the previous quarter and a whopping increase of 21 per cent on the 1355 Māori wanting to be housed last June.

“In the Māori Development Minister and Māori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell’s own Waiariki electorate, there are 422 people or households waiting for homes – 261 of those in very serious need.

“Māori Party co-leader Marama Fox, in late 2014, called National’s plans to sell off state houses ‘disappointing’ and an abdication of Government responsibility. Yet just three months later, the Māori Party changed its mind and voted with National to flog them off.

“It was a disgraceful move, especially in the middle of a housing crisis.

“Māori homeownership has plummeted and more and more whānau are in desperate housing situations. The Māori Party’s support of National has harmed our people.

“Labour has a comprehensive plan to tackle the problem. We will build more affordable homes. We’ll end National’s state house sell-off and stop using Housing NZ as a cash cow. And whānau camping in cars or in garages will be helped into temporary accommodation through extra funding to emergency housing providers,” says Meka Whaitiri.

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