- Earlier this month Oceans and Fisheries Minister, Shane Jones, announced that Ngāi Tahu would be allocated five new aquaculture settlement areas. The areas collectively comprise circa 9,000 hectares, and are suitable for salmon, mussel and karengo (seaweed) farming. (By way of background, 20% of total New Zealand aquaculture space is set aside for iwi interests, as part of the 2004 settlement, linked to the broader Māori fisheries settlement allocation model.) Ngāi Tahu can now assess the merits of the five sites, and if they wish to proceed with aquaculture ventures they can apply for resource consents.
Government and iwi work together on aquaculture | Beehive.govt.nz
- This week Associate Housing Minister, Tama Potaka, announced $82 million of government investment into Māori housing providers, to build 198 affordable rental houses (i.e. where rents are capped at 80% of market rents). This is comprised of twelve projects. The announcement implies – but does not state – this is new funding for new housing initiatives – as opposed to existing budgeted work and/or contracts that were already underway. Greater clarity on that is important, and perhaps that will be a matter put to him by his political opponents in the pending parliamentary scrutiny week.
Māori housing partnership to deliver 198 affordable rental homes | Beehive.govt.nz
