Māori funding in Budget 2018 a 'wonderful start' for one Rotorua woman

Budget 2018 has allocated money to promote Māori wardens. Photo/File

More than $30 million has been allocated to Māori in Budget 2018, and one Rotorua woman says the funding is a "wonderful start".

Minister for Crown/Māori relations Kelvin Davis said this year's Budget continued to focus on whānau, tamariki and rangatahi.

in total, $37 million of new funding for Vote Māori Development would be split between papakāinga housing, a whenua Māori programme and for rangatahi Māori learning initiatives.

Managing director for Indigenuity Housing, a Rotorua-based company which specialises in Māori land development, Inez White said the investment was a "wonderful start".

"That can progress a lot of papakāinga aspirations and could really help with the housing issues."

White said every $1 spent on papakāinga housing "would have a greater impact than if that was spent in general titles".

"I know here in Rotorua we have a high portion of Māori land available to be utilised.

"As long as the government release the money sensibly, quickly and efficiently it is something that actually benefits all of New Zealand."

Highlights for Māori in Budget 2018:
• $15.0 million to provide practical assistance and resources to whānau and Māori housing providers to support papakāinga development and housing repairs through the Māori Housing Network.
• $7.0 million in 2018/19 for whenua Māori reforms to improve the administration of Māori freehold land, assist with the development of Māori whenua generally and improve governance capacity.
• $15.0 million of operating funding over four years to enhance education and employment outcomes for rangatahi, especially young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs), including Māori Warden's initiatives.
• $1.1 million of new operating funding in 2017/18, plus $11.4 million operating funding over the following three years, for a package of initiatives to lift capability across the system for delivering quality te reo Māori education.
• $690,000 new operating funding in 2017/18, plus $2.1 million operating funding in 2018/19 and 2019/20, to develop a programme and qualification for secondary students who exhibit excellence in te ao Māori.
• $1.0 million new operating funding in 2018/19 to investigate how we can better support Māori school students to achieve as Māori in English-medium settings.