Govt looks at easing Maori land rules to help housing

Freeing up restrictions on building on Maori land is one idea being put forward by the Government to make housing more affordable.

Housing Minister Phil Heatley said breaking down barriers to building on communally owned land would be a Government priority, along with freeing up the Resource Management Act.

He said Maori land often had multiple owners and was zoned rural, so no matter how large the area of land was, there could only be a couple of houses on it.

The Green Party is supporting Mr Heatley's comments on helping Maori build on communally owned land.

Green Party housing spokeswoman Sue Bradford said there is a "dire need" for housing in areas such as Northland and Tairawhiti.

"But easing planning restrictions is only one part of what is needed.

"Access to capital, paying for infrastructure development, and enabling hapu and iwi to play a key role in decision-making are also crucial steps," she said.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's housing affordability has improved slightly in the past year, compared with other countries.

To read the full NZ Herald story click here

Posted: 27 Jan 2009

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