Greens co-leader Metiria Turei says the change in housing minister won’t fix the problems of affordability for Māori families.

In yesterday’s cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister John Key sacked Phil Heatley, who has presided over the clearing of state houses in Glen Innes, Napier and Lower Hutt, and given the role to experienced minister Nick Smith.

Ms Turei says the Greens will release a comprehensive plan for housing when they go to the Ratana Pā celebrations tomorrow.

She says the hands-off approach to housing isn’t working, and it’s time to look again at the state funding and building houses.

"In the past, governments have used all of their financial opportunities to both build cheap homes for families and to enable families to get into them. Only in the last years have we had governments take their hands off and say 'it's not our problem.' But it is their problem because our families are really suffering because of it," Ms Turei says.

She says National doesn’t want to do anything about housing, and it’s contention that the problem is the lack of suitable land is wrong.




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