Christoffel, P.
Government Housing Need Housing Quality Housing Schemes
Waitangi Tribunal, ,
2022
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This report, commissioned for the Waitangi Tribunal’s Housing Policy and Services Inquiry (Wai 2750), explores the historical aspects of housing policies, practices, and their impacts on Māori communities from the early 19th century up to 1934.
It forms part of a trio of reports aimed at addressing nationally significant issues affecting Māori across New Zealand, with a focus on housing policy and regulation, social housing, the development of Māori land for housing, and the interrelation between housing conditions and socio-economic factors, including physical and mental health. The report is structured into 13 chapters, each providing an in-depth analysis of various dimensions of Māori housing over time. It begins with a demographic and social overview, charting the drastic transformations within Māori society through the centuries, and examines the evolution of housing from traditional Māori dwellings in 1840 to the impact of urbanization and government policies on Māori housing. The analysis includes the role of Māori Councils, public health initiatives, and the effects of local government and legislative changes on Māori housing. Significantly, the report highlights community-led housing schemes, the challenges faced by urban Māori, and the specific accommodations like hostels, boarding schools, and prisons. It also scrutinises government inquiries and the prelude to the Native Housing Act of 1935, indicating a shift towards more significant government intervention in Māori housing. This document underscores the complex interplay between colonisation, land dispossession, and governmental policies in shaping the housing experiences of Māori communities.