Ōritetanga: equity, responsibility, and accountability Ōritetanga means equality or the equal treatment of people, from the Māori word ōrite, meaning the same or even. Article 3 of Te Tiriti contains a provision guaranteeing equality between Māori and Tangata Tiriti. The radical disparity between Māori and Tangata Tiriti in housing indicates that this provision is not fulfilled. This inequality has been highlighted in recent literature115 and Kāwana attention given to building more houses, but inequality remains. Emergency, social housing and dependency The emergency housing sector is the area where the lack of accountability to Māori for housing over many years is most evident. Kāwana policy has changed from some six years ago when no funding was allocated for emergency housing despite evidence of a housing crisis for Māori. The increased rentals and limited availability of social housing penalised those with least resources, mainly Māori. The response of the Kāwana to provide motel accommodation as a short-term solution has become a disturbing longer-term response for families, many of whom are Māori who lack security of tenure, support of close-by extended whānau and ongoing stable schooling and other facilities such as good health outcomes. This alone demonstrates the extreme challenge of moving to an equitable system of housing. Funding spent on motels cannot be recovered as no capital asset has been achieved. The social housing sector is also struggling although Māori housing providers are gaining community housing provider (CHP) registration and seeking the opportunity to provide greater security, which responds to the Māori housing need. Many whānau will never have the opportunity to live in their own home for numerous reasons, including the lack of financial capability and a history of bad debt. Māori CHPs can make a cultural difference to their dependent situations through wraparound services, accepting accountability for housing in place of the Kāwana. For those whānau/hapū/iwi/trusts that, with financial capability, are developing capacity to seek first-home ownership and move from a dependent situation, there are many barriers that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development along with Te Puni Kōkiri and Kāinga Ora are working to address. The funding available in comparison to the need for finance is limited, and hence a measure of accountability is the supply of housing for Māori. This is a ‘cap in hand’ relationship with a Kāwana department and not rangatiratanga as agreed in Te Tiriti116. 49