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Ki a Kingi Tuheitia, me te kahui ariki anei nga mihi. Aa, ki te tangata whenua o te rohe nei, nga iwi o te waka o Tainui,  tena koutou. Tena koutou te whanau whanui, nga mihi nunui kia koutou katoa.

Firstly I mihi to Te Arataura Tainui Waikato and the Tuwharetoa Trust for your tautoko of this event today.

I acknowledge the presence of the Mayor of Hamilton, Julie Hardaker, tena koe.

Mr Speaker, I move that the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Bill be now read a third time.

This bill, introduced as part of Budget 2013, is about enabling tens of thousands of homes to be built.

It is about helping kiwi families to realise the dream of owning their own home.

It’s about supporting the New Zealand economic recovery by reducing the financial risks of Auckland’s house price bubble.

Prime Minister, President, delegates.

Housing policy is one of the great challenges of our time.

It matters because for most kiwi families the equity in their home is their greatest asset.

It matters because we’ve seen how mis-managed housing bubbles can bring the world’s biggest economies to their knees.

It matters because old, cold and mouldy homes compound into health problems.

It matters because part of the kiwi way of life is that through hard work and careful saving New Zealanders should be able to afford their own home.

E nga iwi o Ikaroa Rawhiti ara ko Ngati Porou, ko Te Aitanga a Mahaki, ko Rongowhakaata, ko Ngai Tamanuhiri, ko Ngati Kahungunu, koutou katoa kua tae mai ki tenei huihuinga e pa ana ki nga take whai whare noho, tena ra koutou katoa.

Thank you for inviting me to speak here today at your forum. I want to acknowledge Tiopira Rauna and to commend you for the significant role that the Ikaroa Rawhiti Maori Housing Forum has played over the last seven years, in supporting Māori housing in this role.

Today we’re unveiling the Government’s business plan for this development, agreed with the Hobsonville Land Company.

In large part this is a continuation of the work that’s been going on here, and there is certainly no change to the vision of a high-quality, diverse urban community for all New Zealanders.

However, since the cessation of the Gateway programme, there have been questions raised about the role of affordable housing at Hobsonville Point.

It hardly needs to be said that it’s a sad comment on our society that a service like Women’s Refuge is needed. 

But needed it is, and what a fantastic job you do. I’m in awe of the level of commitment and the depth of the work you do supporting women and children getting out of terrifying situations, the worst kind of crises. I’m proud that Housing is able to be a part of that.

The corporation worked closely with Te Whari Tiaki Wahine Refuge to find a replacement refuge around the Titahi Bay/Porirua/Whitby areas when it was needed.

It’s great to see Housing New Zealand here in the inner city. Congratulations to everyone for making it happen.  There are signs of progress all around us here and that's very encouraging.

But today I’d like to talk more about the people who live here – in Christchurch and further afield, and what Housing New Zealand is doing to revitalise and rebuild houses in Canterbury.

Good morning and thank you for inviting me to your conference.  It’s a great pleasure to be able to speak to you and to tell you about the Government’s housing policy and legislative programme. 

I like the theme of “Spring into Action” you’ve chosen for this conference.  It’s a theme this Government thoroughly endorses and the busy policy and legislative programme we have shows that we are putting in place lasting reforms that will build a more productive and competitive economy.

I’m delighted to be here today to share with you this exciting development in the Tāmaki Transformation Programme, and ultimately a positive advancement for the future generations of Tāmaki residents.  

I’m joined today by the Mayor of Auckland Council to sign the Tāmaki Heads of Agreement between the Crown and the Council – a first in New Zealand. This will see the people of Tāmaki placed at the centre of all future regeneration and development activities.

Thanks for the invitation to your conference. I’m glad to be here.

To start by going back a bit . . . in 1937, Mickey Savage carried a dining table through the front door of 12 Fife Lane, Miramar, here in Wellington, and opened New Zealand’s first state house.

He backed an excellent model.  It kicked off the development of mass state housing, provided shelter for generations of New Zealanders, and for several decades the state picked up the tab for good quality social housing used by working people.

Indigenous Leaders in Senior Government positions
[the challenges and opportunities of being indigenous leaders within federal governments]

I want to begin by acknowledging the First Nations People who have welcomed us to your tribal lands and extended to us the spirit of generosity which has made us feel so at home.

Thank you. I’m delighted to be here today to meet you and talk to you, and of course to present this year’s Outstanding Achievement Award.

Affordable, well-planned housing has a wonderful effect on people's lives.  Good housing helps to build vibrant and supportive communities and provide children with a safe, healthy environment in which to to grow up.

Thanks for inviting me here today for the opening of the upgraded Hanson Court apartments.

The Wellington City Council has done a superb job on this upgrade. I congratulate them on that and for their commitment to providing quality, affordable housing for vulnerable Wellingtonians.

Wellington City Council Housing Upgrade Project

Ka rere atu nga mihi ki te hau kainga, te tangata whenua, Ngati Rahiri, Ngati Kawa, Ngati Hine, Ngapuhi whanui, tena koutou katoa.

Ki Te Matapihi He Tirohanga mo te Iwi – tena ra koutou.

Ki aku hoa, aku whanaunga, ki a koe e Phil, tae noa ki a koutou katoa kua tae mai i nga kokona e wha o te motu, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

Talofa lava, tena koutou katoa,

There is a whakatauki, a proverb that we use as Maori – ma tou rourou, ma taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi. With your food basket, and mine the iwi will thrive.

This proverb speaks to the power of working together. It tells us that our tupuna valued the small contributions that each member of the community made towards ensuring that the wellbeing of the wider community was catered for.