Have your say: Maori housing

Lately there has been an outcry about the desperate need for Maori housing.

Why it has been directed only at Maori I have no idea, as thousands of non-Maori people are in the same predicament. Then again, perhaps the Maori housing problem would be the easiest to resolve.

Today's part-Maori have been given millions of acres of land as well as more than two billion dollars in cash settlements for treaty disputes - on top of that "Maoridom" has assets of almost $40 billion.

Assuming that there is really such a thing as Maoridom, then the solution is obvious - utilise the land and financial grants to build houses specifically for the part-Maori people on that Maori land.

This can only work if the concept of Maoridom really does exist and can prevail over individual tribal aspirations - which would be quite a social advancement.

So here is an opportunity for part-Maori to demonstrate that Maori collectively are more important than small tribal groups (and could also prove to be a goal worthy of the total support of the Maori Party). It is time for Maori to be seen to be helping themselves.

Mitch Morgan,
Kaipara.