Auckland Council’s property arm, Panuku, says it's axed a cap to the number of social houses in its developments after a years' long battle with Māori health provider Te Whānau O Waipareira.
Waipareira Trust and its chief executive, former Auckland Council mayoral candidate and Labour MP John Tamihere, launched legal action against Panuku in 2018. Waipareira claims Panuku insisted a joint housing development in Papatoetoe have no more than 30 percent social housing.
Tamihere says, in a letter to him, Panuku chief executive David Rankin has admitted the alleged 30% social housing quota had "no real legal basis".
Rankin was appointed chief executive of Panuku in February this year.
Panuku says there is no such quota, but a spokesperson conceded there was a document tabling the idea "Eke Panuku has never adopted such a policy. Eke Panuku's Guidance on Housing Mix for Precincts and Eke Panuku Sites (challenged in the case) was a guidance document only".
Waipareira Trust says that guidance was "discriminatory to elders, single parents and beneficiaries, especially Māori and Pacific Islanders." It has a case against Panuku scheduled for the Human Rights Tribunal in September.
$400,000 in legal fees
This morning Panuku told Māori Television the guidance document is "no longer operative" and the organisation is "consulting with a range of stakeholders including local boards, mana whenua, council departments and council-owned organisations, and will be actively seeking input from our main development partners to develop new thriving town centre guidelines."
In the letter from Rankin to Tamihere, leaked to media, Rankin argues as the guidance document has been dropped, the Human Rights Tribunal case is no longer necessary.
Tamihere said Rankin’s letter proves Waipereira was right to challenge the council, saying “Is it any wonder we have a housing crisis and the government is now forced to spend millions housing people in motels and temporary accommodation when this type of behaviour is occurring? Why we have had to wait 10 years for Panuku to admit their wrong is bewildering”.
Tamihere says the trust has spent $400,000 on the three-year legal battle and he wants Panuku to pay those legal fees, and provide a similar site to develop social housing.
Panuku has not committed to either but Rankin said in his letter, “In the interests of both parties avoiding the significant costs of proceeding through to a hearing, Eke Panuku would be willing to discuss making a contribution to your costs to date.”
Panuku has selected a new iwi party to collaborate on the Tavern Lane, Papatoetoe development. The bidding process involved four iwi.
New mayor?
Next year’s local body elections may see dramatic change at Auckland Council. Although mayor Phil Goff has taken a strong stance on the three water reforms, he is understood to be considering an offer to become New Zealand’s next ambassador to the US where he has family connections.
His main rival at the last local body elections was John Tamihere, who gained some support but failed to get enough. Tamihere ran a more successful campaign at the general election as leader of the Māori Party, though he did not himself win a seat.
Other potential candidates are deputy mayor Bill Cashmore, who represents rural Franklin, and Desley Simpson, a former Orakei Community Board chair and two-time councillor. She is also married to the president of the National Party, Peter Goodfellow.