June 28, 2016
Manurewa Marae welcomes housing minister
Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett has visited Manurewa Marae to hear how it is gearing up to help the homeless.
Marae chair Rangi McLean says the minister was told it would cost $100,000 to get the marae ready to help with the overflow from Te Puea Marae.
Grants from the Manurewa Local Board and the Wiri Licensing Trust have allowed it to buy new ovens and kitchen equipment, but there is still a lot of do before its doors open fully, probably at the end of next week.
Minister Bennett last week made a brief visit to Te Puea marae, but Mr McLean says he wanted her to hear from the whole community.
"She just wanted to come and look and leave but I decided if she didn't come under under the tikanga and protocols of Manurewa Marae, she may as well not come at all. She needed to come under powhiri and she agreed to that," he says.
Mr McLean says he secured a promise from Minister Bennett that her officials would work alongside the marae, and he's also helping for a financial contribution.
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