Cornwall, J.P.M. & Fouhy, & G. D.
Government Housing Need Housing Schemes
State Services Commission, ,
1982
The 1982 Māori Housing Review, often referred to as the Cornwall Report, criticised the Department of Māori Affairs, recommending that the housing section should be wound down and it develop a housing advisory-only function based on the strengths of its knowledge of and relationships with “the Māori people”.
It argued that there was little evidence of “special Māori housing needs”, beyond the needs experienced by Pākēha of similar socioeconomic status, except where multiply owned Māori land was concerned. The review also called for the resolution of ‘the problems of poor rural Māori housing’ and for more to be done to support Māori to build housing on Māori land. As it states, “In line with Tu Tangata and Kokiri policies, (and aspirations of Māoris to better use their land), housing policies should be broadened to facilitate the use of Māori land for housing purposes, to encourage Māori trusts to play an expanding role in providing housing assistance and to utilise the strength of Māoridom to help Māoris of all age groups who have accommodation needs.” The New Zealand Māori Council disagreed with the findings of the Cornwall Report, commissioning a report by Professor Whatarangi Winiata, who argued that a special housing programme was vital because of cultural difference, the lower average socioeconomic status of Māori, and overt racism in the housing market.
