Coffey TamatiMāori DevelopmentTĀMATI COFFEY (Chairperson of the Māori Affairs Committee): Madam Chair thank you very much after waiting for your call for quite some time with anxious anticipation. First of all can I thank the Ministers for presenting in front of the Māori Affairs Committee both Ministers Henare and Jackson on 30 June and 19 July respectively. Vote Māori Development encompasses both the Ministry of Māori Development otherwise known as Te Puni Kōkiri and also Whānau Ora which the Government has invested in across Governments for some time now and it's making an absolute difference out there on the ground in the grassroots level in our community. So the aim of Vote Māori Development is of course to improve whānau hapū and iwi conditions across all kinds of areas: economic social health and also wellbeing. It was indeed a pleasure to hear about the absolutely razor-sharp focus that the Ministry of Māori Development have got in the area of housing and it is in this Budget in this Estimates hearing that we heard about the kind of investment that is being put into Vote Māori Development and specifically into housing. The total value of the Vote is $383 million and the Vote includes an appropriation of $98 million specifically for Māori housing—an increase of $61 million which is up 170 percent compared to the estimated actual of $36 million in 2020-21. Now that particular funding is aimed at improving the quality of homes for whānau most in need but also partnering with some of our iwi housing providers to create better outcomes and to accelerate housing projects across all parts of New Zealand. It's been well received can I also say out there in the regions where there is a dire need for housing. On top of that Te Tumu Paeroa through this appropriation has been appropriated $5.1 million and a total of $20 million over the four years to 2024-25. That's going to support its capacity to be able to just naturally do its statutory jobs but also to help development on whenua Māori. Outside of the Estimates process we also heard from Te Tumu Paeroa who talked about their project Te Tumu Kāinga which is enabling Māori land owners to be able to develop into housing aspirations as well. So we support that appropriation. Also under the banner of housing Māori boarding schools got an appropriation through this as well—$9.3 million in each of the years 2021-22 and 2022-23—which is looking to improve the funding for infrastructure across four Māori boarding schools: Hukarere Girls' College St Joseph's Māori Girls' College Te Aute College and also Hato Pāora College. Māori boarding schools play a key and an instrumental part in the growing of young Māori talent and they've been doing that for a long amount of time. Recently we also heard—again outside of the Estimates process—about the difference that boarding schools make the ability to be able to house some of our young students our tauira and the difference that it makes for their educational achievement. So again we're incredibly supportive of that appropriation. Finally just the difference that this appropriation is going to make to strengthening our te reo capability and our tikanga as well out there: $5.3 million in this financial year and a total of $14.7 million over the four years out to 2024-25. That's in order to be able to support the delivery of the Maihi Karauna which is the Government's Māori language strategy. We're going to be able to do that through investing in organisations like Te Māngai Pāho—$10.5 million this year and $42 million over the four years out to 2024-25—and also by supporting the sustainability of the Māori media sector. The Minister came before the committee and talked about the good work that's being done by a cluster of Māori media professionals that he's managed to get together into the same area and talk about some of the challenges that are being faced out there in Māori broadcasting land—i.e. iwi radio as well. So this is going to make a significant difference to those organisations who are again out there at the coalface doing what they can to be able to strengthen the Crown's commitment to te reo me ōna tikanga and I'm incredibly supportive of it. We sat and we heard the Ministers—both Ministers—talk with passion about their various portfolios and I'm incredibly supporting of the direction under Vote Māori Development.