Ngāti Toa supports governments vision for porirua housing regeneration

Ngāti Toa is pleased to announce that we have entered into an exciting new partnership with the Government that will enable better public housing outcomes for tenants in the Porirua region.

Ngāti Toa along with Government officials and Porirua City Council made the announcement today at Russell School in Cannons Creek.

The partnership will enable the Government to invest in the eastern Porirua community regeneration programme and, enable Ngāti Toa to become an established community housing provider, delivering public housing services within western Porirua.

Ngati Toa Chairperson, Dr Taku Parai said: “We (Ngāti Toa) have a set of tikanga based values and this exciting project will enable us to share and show our hapori (community). These tikanga are based around manaaki, kaitikaitanga and rangatiratanga.

“As tangata whenua of this rohe we look forward to participating in the revitalisation within the wider Porirua community, over ready for the step‐change.

“Further, we see this co‐designed approach for Crown Māori participation as meaningful in terms of realising on a broader level the opportunities that can arise through the treaty settlement process and we are pleased to be working on this collaborative and innovative approach with the Crown”.

Ngāti Toa have been actively providing health and social services within Porirua for almost 30 years.

Ngāti Toa Executive Officer Sir Matiu Rei said that through Te Runanga o Toa Rangatira inc. the iwi’s health and social services have been working with approximately 20,000 people for over 30 years in vulnerable communities.

“We know that housing is critical for good health. The opportunity to provide warm and safe homes complements our health service, Ora Toa, in improving health outcomes in the Porirua area.

“We are hopeful that this initiative will have positive intergenerational outcomes for both our whanau and our wider community. The Rūnanga is committed to this initiative.”

Ngāti Toa will be undertaking a series of hui with iwi members to discuss the details of the arrangements over the coming weeks.