7. Question No. 7—Housing (Māori Housing)WILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour—Northland) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing)Question No. 7—Housing (Māori Housing)7. WILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour—Northland) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing): What has the Government done to improve housing outcomes for Māori?Hon PEENI HENARE (Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing)): When we came into Government the housing challenges were many for Māori whānau. As a Government we are taking action and last year's Budget committed $730 million for Māori housing. An update on where we are at: of the 1000 homes to be delivered we have approved and commenced building of 824; of the 700 homes for repairs and maintenance we have approved and delivered up to 314 across the country; of the 2700 sites requiring infrastructure support we have approved up to 1200. We are also supporting 41 Māori housing providers to build their capability to ensure that they have the right tools and resources to deliver warm dry and safe homes for whānau.Willow-Jean Prime: How does this partnership provide better housing outcomes for whānau?Hon PEENI HENARE: We have created new pathways for Māori housing that rely on a genuine partnership between the Government iwi and Māori to invest in housing opportunities that more widely contribute to the overall wellbeing of whānau hapū and iwi. The value of the partnership approach includes delivering Māori housing to a scale and at a pace that has never been achieved before and by Māori for Māori approaches to support and enable iwi and Māori to succeed through partnership co-design and most importantly delivery.Willow-Jean Prime: How are these partnerships delivering transformational change for whānau?Hon PEENI HENARE: We are partnering with iwi Māori to get whānau into affordable homes and importantly to be financially independent—for example our partnership with Ka Uruora will see 172 whānau be housed in affordable rentals across Taranaki Tuparoa Blenheim Thames and Tāmaki-makau-rau. This will be complemented with support services such as financial literacy and encourage iwi-sponsored savings schemes. In addition 31 whānau will be assisted into homeownership through the progressive homeownership plan. I can quote from one of the supporters and leaders of this particular initiative: Working … with Ka Uruora and [the Government] we can offer alternative paths to owning a home and achieving financial independence. [And] Our financial education and savings programmes are great tools to help whānau realise their [aspiration]".Willow-Jean Prime: How is the Government's investment in Māori housing supporting job creation for Māori and communities?Hon PEENI HENARE: Through our partnerships with Māori we will see more homes being built which will in turn create significant jobs in regions—for example our partnership with Toitu Tairawhiti will see 150 new homes for whānau who need them the most. It also has a large focus on job creation and upskilling whānau in construction. Toitu Tairawhiti is a programme in place with off-site manufacturer Built Smart to upskill a number of local people that will see them leading the building programme. This forms part of an innovative model of delivery with a mix of typologies for housing across the wider Tai Rāwhiti region."