7. Question No. 7—Prime MinisterRAWIRI WAITITI (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 7—Prime Minister7. RAWIRI WAITITI (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Prime Minister): Yes. In particular Budget 2023's ongoing investment in Māori housing. Under this Government we've approved or contracted 1018 homes enabled infrastructure on 1615 sites for houses and we've made 415 repairs for homes in Māori communities across the country so far. We should also note that Māori communities were particularly affected by recent extreme weather events. To support the recovery for these communities 400 relocatable cabins are being delivered in Tairāwhiti Wairoa Napier Hastings and Te Tai Tokerau to assist those whānau who have been displaced from their homes. Rawiri Waititi: How can he stand by his Government's record on homelessness given the recent release of the Waitangi Tribunal's stage one report on Māori homelessness which found that the Crown has breached its Treaty obligations in failing to address rising levels of Māori homelessness?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: That of course has happened over many many decades and it is something that this Government is committed to addressing. It's one of the reasons that we have built more new public homes in our five years in Government than at any time I think in recent history. We've got more work to do there's no question but it's also a reason why we're partnering with Māori communities to build more homes because fundamentally that's how we will deal with homelessness.Rawiri Waititi: What is his response to the findings of the tribunal that the Crown has continued to breach the Treaty through failing to consult its ongoing failure to collect thorough homelessness data its continued failure to reform the welfare system and its lack of support for homeless rangatahi?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I hope that the member will see our response in our actions in terms of the by Māori for Māori approach that we are taking to dealing with Māori homelessness. We are absolutely committed to getting more homes built and more people homed.Rawiri Waititi: Will his Government adopt the recommendations of the tribunal that the Crown and claimants now work in partnership on a new definition of homelessness that incorporates Māori perspectives."; if not why not?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: As with all of those reports we will go through a process of appropriately responding to it. But I hope that the member will see in the actions that we have taken so far to date that we are absolutely committed to partnering with Māori communities to address homelessness.Rawiri Waititi: What does he say to Māori housing advocates such as Hurimoana Dennis who have said that the Crown must immediately establish a Māori housing authority to lead the efforts to address Māori homelessness?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I would say that the establishment of a new authority isn't necessarily the best way to deliver a by Māori for Māori approach and that actually working with grassroots local organisations in the way that our Government is doing is probably the best way forward. But we'll continue to have that discussion."