Diana Dobson/Stuff
Meka Whaitiri after winning the Ikaroa-Rawhiti in 2013. A by-election in the seat was held following the death of incumbent Labour MÄori affairs spokesman Parekura Horomia. “I told [my whānau] again at the last election, and oh my God, all the nannies got up and said, ‘You will go when we tell you to go .. you listen to us. When we’re ready to let you go, you can go’. “I haven’t shied away from 2013, coming in at the by-election, that 10 years is it. I know it’s up at the next election. Of course, I’m going to have to think about 2023 probably in a year’s time, so come and ask me in a year’s time.
The $3.8 billion Housing Acceleration Fund may be used as a tool to help ensure councils meet their obligations to prepare and plan for growth, says Jacinda Ardern.
Thursday, 27 May 2021, 3:51 pm
Finance
Minister Grant Robertson announced his fourth budget, which
will invest $3.8b in a Housing Acceleration Fund, insulate
47,700 homes and put $380m towards raising Māori
homeownership, which currently sits at just 30%. $131.8m
will also go towards replacing RMA, which is hoped to
improve the delivery of new housing.
Century 21 Owner
Derryn Mayne applauds the Government on funding its housing
initiatives, but says Budget 2021 will make little
difference for most first-home buyers.
“The Finance
Minister has long promised to ‘tilt the balance more
towards first-home buyers’ but Budget 2021 has not
achieved that.
“He could’ve announced partnership
The recent Budget announced $380 million for Māori housing development to build 1000 homes including papakāinga (ancestral land housing), rentals, transitional, and owner-occupied housing. The funding would also go towards repairs to 700 Māori owned homes, and help progress housing projects and infrastructure from the $3.8 billion Housing Acceleration Fund. The Budget money allocated to housing was available to be used for papakāinga developments like Te Kekeu where more projects were planned to be built, Jackson said. Developing papakāinga was part of connecting whānau wellbeing, health and housing, he said.
ANDY JACKSON/Stuff
Along with a swag of other MPs, Jackson visited Taranaki iwi housing projects on Friday to discuss recent Budget funding.