Te Taumata Hauora o Te Kahu o Taonui is proud to release He Whare Oranga, He Whare Māori, a report grounded in the lived experiences, aspirations, and resilience of whānau across Te Tai Tokerau and Tāmaki Makaurau. 

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This report began with a clear message from whānau: housing is the number one health issue for whānau in Te Tai Tokerau. We responded by listening deeply. Through wānanga, interviews, and provider kōrero, whānau shared what housing insecurity means in everyday life, and what must change. 

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The stories entrusted to us were powerful and humbling. They spoke of hardship, uncertainty, and systems that too often create barriers instead of pathways. They also spoke of strength, determination, aroha, and hope: whānau continuing to care for one another, dreaming of secure homes, and seeking reconnection with whenua and papakāinga. 

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We extend our deepest gratitude to every whānau member who shared their story. Your honesty and courage are the foundation of this report. We also thank the Māori housing providers, support agencies, kaimahi, facilitators, and partners who created safe spaces for kōrero, shared their expertise, and continue to stand alongside whānau every day. 

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This report belongs first and foremost to the voices within it. Our role is to amplify those voices, uphold their mana, and help turn their insights into action. 

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He Whare Oranga, He Whare Māori calls for more than short-term responses. It sets out a pathway towards safe shelter, stronger support systems, practical routes to independence, and lasting investment in Māori-led housing and papakāinga. It asks us to move beyond managing crisis and instead create the conditions in which whānau can live with dignity, stability, belonging, and hope. 

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That future will require collective action from government, iwi, Māori organisations, housing and health providers, funders, councils, businesses, and communities. No single organisation can achieve the transformation needed, but every one of us can help move it forward. 

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Whānau have shown us the direction. Let us take the next step together.