As the Waiheke Local Board voted to adopt the Waiheke Housing Strategy in a recent meeting, board member Paul Walden and chair Cath Handley clashed over the wording of a clause on Piritahi Marae’s housing aspirations.
The clause in question was in the draft strategy’s objectives, under section D “Advance the needs and aspirations of mana whenua and mātāwaka Māori towards housing.” It said “support Piritahi Marae in its aspirations of establishing kaumātua housing” and was followed by “prioritise engagement with the Ngāti Pāoa Iwi Trust on future opportunities to develop papakāinga housing on council owned or managed land, taking into account the needs of the Māori and wider community of Waiheke Island.”
• Paul Mitchell
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