The announcement in Budget 2022 to build 300 affordable homes for Pasefika families in Porirua will be transformational, says the Central Pacific Collective (CPC).

The homes will be built over 10 years through “Our Whare Our Fale” – an innovative Pasefika housing initiative that is supported by Ngāti Toa.

“This initiative will significantly improve the lives and wellbeing of Wellington’s Pasefika community,” says CPC Chair Fa’amatuainu Tino Pereira MNZM.

“Pasefika people experience inequitable outcomes across nearly every measure. Providing high-quality, affordable housing will improve wellbeing and help Pasefika people to build inter-generational wealth and independence.”

“Pasefika ties with Māori are based on place, culture and relationships, and our communities, are interwoven in Porirua. By partnering with Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira we can share resources, learn from each other, and deliver better outcomes for our wider community.”

Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira Chief Executive Officer Helmut Modlik says that as mana whenua, Ngāti Toa has a commitment to awhi and support all those living in Porirua.

“Affordable, healthy, sustainable and secure housing is a key focus for Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, and we see it as our responsibility to not only provide support and advocate for good housing options for our iwi, but also for all people who live in our rohe,” Helmut said.

CPC and Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira have a Memorandum of Understanding in place to work together on projects to improve wellbeing in their rohe, the first such relationship in Aotearoa.

CPC is establishing a new Pasefika Housing entity to lead the delivery of Our Whare Our Fale and support a broader range of housing solutions for the Pasefika community in Wellington.

“Pasefika households across New Zealand are 3 times less likely than the average New Zealand household to own their own home. This ratio is even higher in eastern Porirua.”

“1 in 4 children in Pacific households lives in relative poverty, and 30% of Pacific children live in households without access to 6 or more of the 17 basic material needs.”

“We thank Hon Aupito Su’a William Sio for his leadership and advocacy of this project. His steadfast belief that better housing outcomes and affordable home ownership will improve the lives of Pasefika families, and his sense of duty to the Pasefika community, is what got us to this moment” said Fa’amatuainu.

“He says the community really is grateful to this labour government for this historical show of support for a deprived and vulnerable community.”

CPC is a community-led organisation, born out of delivering Pasefika health services for its partners in 2013. It is building capacity and capability to encourage focused services across key wellbeing domains important to Pasefika such as housing, health, incomes, knowledge and skills, strong communities and connections, and security and safety.

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