Foreword

Toitū te whenua, whatungarongaro te tangata. Man shall disappear, but land will always remain.

It's not just about houses, it's about our survival …

Despite Māori identifying the barriers to housing on Māori land, we are faced with the same barriers 30 years later – in particular, capacity, planning, and finance.

It is from this perspective that the Māori Advisory Group commend the work of the Office of the Auditor-General. This is a significant report because it is the first review of how well government agencies as a group support Māori to build on their multiply-owned land. The findings of this report will help to illuminate not only the issues and barriers that exist for many Māori when working with government agencies but also highlight practices that work to enable whānau, hapū, and iwi to foster and grow innovative developments. We acknowledge that, despite the myriad of issues and barriers facing Māori communities, many have identified a range of solutions. These include mutually beneficial high-trust relationships, targeted support, and resourcing that will enable whānau, hapū, and iwi to build quality houses on Māori land.

This report also poses a challenge for government agencies to seriously address the issues identified – in particular, variable service delivery and organisational responses experienced by Māori who wish to build houses on their own land. To address the housing needs of Māori, and to unlock the resource potential that exists within whānau, hapū, and iwi, requires tailored support and focus by the relevant public entities. They must consider how to foster the development of Māori capacity to contribute to the decision-making processes of local and central authorities.

"He whare tū ki te paenga, he kai nā te ahi, ā, te whare maihi i tū ki roto i te pā tūwatawata, he tohu nō te rangatira" aptly describes this. "A house that stands alone and derelict is good for the fire; an ornate, protected, and well-supported house is the sign of a rangatira."

We wish to thank all whānau, hapū, iwi, and agencies who have contributed to this report.