23. But these roles depend upon a degree of clarity about what the right to a decent
home, grounded in Te Tiriti, means:
a) individuals, hapū, iwi and communities cannot be meaningful rights-holders
(as opposed to ‘service-users’), if the right to a decent home is unclear.
b) policy makers cannot use the right to a decent home to improve their
initiatives if they do not know what it means.
c) it is impossible to hold anyone accountable for the right to a decent home if
nobody knows who is accountable for what.
24. For these reasons, the Guidelines clarify what the right to a decent home,
grounded in Te Tiriti, means. Once the meaning is clearer, the human right can:
a) empower individuals, hapū, iwi and communities in their engagement with
government and others.
b) help policy makers strengthen their housing initiatives.
c) help ensure that the right to a decent home and Te Tiriti are honoured.
25. More specifically, the Guidelines can help to:
a) advance the partnership between kāwanatanga (Crown) and rangatiratanga
(hapū and iwi) in the context of housing;
b) ensure that critically important values, such as kaitiakitanga (stewardship),
whanaungatanga (kinship), manaakitanga (respect), fairness, decency,
equality, wellbeing and community are at the centre of all housing initiatives;
c) advance Māori housing aspirations and needs;
d) improve the Government Policy Statement on Housing and Urban
Development, New Zealand Building Code, Residential Tenancies Act,
resource management legislation, and local government regulatory
frameworks;
e) ensure that key features of housing (e.g. habitability, affordability,
accessibility) are given sustained and systematic attention;
f) accelerate universal design so there is increased supply of housing suitable
for people of all abilities and stages of life;
g) improve access to home ownership for everyone;
h) tackle homelessness;
i) hold central and local government, and others, accountable for their
responsibilities arising from the right to a decent home grounded on Te Tiriti.
Guideline 6: Use the right to a decent home grounded on Te Tiriti to: empower
individuals, hapū, iwi and communities in their engagement with government;
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