Hon Te Ururoa Flavell
Minister for Māori Development
Minita Whanaketanga Māori
03 October 2015
Media Statement
Ranga-Bidois Whānau Papakāinga ‘an outstanding example of a whānau-led housing initiative’
A housing project by a Ngāruawahia whānau is an outstanding example of a Māori-led housing initiative Māori Development
Minister Te Ururoa Flavell said today.
The Minister was speaking at the official opening of a development on the Ranga-Bidois whānau papakāinga which has seen
three new homes built to provide much needed homes for the wider whānau.
The Ranga-Bidois whānau developed a plan with Whānau Ora support, and successfully applied for funding from Te Puni
Kōkiri to help develop the project.
The whānau then got funding for infrastructure and to build the homes from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment as part of the wider housing investments by the Government through the Social Housing Fund. The whānau also
made a significant contribution with labour and a bank loan.
“This is a great example of whānau working out a plan for the future and understanding how important housing is to that
future” says Mr Flavell. “While the Ranga-Bidois whānau have created these homes, they have also created another
invaluable asset of long-term value: a rich base of skills and experience in the planning, funding and implementation of
a papakāinga housing development”.
Mr Flavell acknowledged the support of Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa to the Ranga-Bidois project and other papakāinga
initiatives in the rohe, “the Rūnanga made a significant contribution in providing guidance and encouragement to whānau
to help them achieve their goals.”
Mr Flavell said that good quality housing was key to building strong communities, “I have set up the Māori Housing
Network in Te Puni Kōkiri to work with whānau and communities to build on the range of successful Māori-led housing
initiatives across the motu and improve housing outcomes”.
ends