Wai 2750 – Housing Policy and Services Kaupapa Inquiry

Last updated: 4 August 2025 Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga lead the Crown’s response to Wai 2750: the Kaupapa Inquiry into Housing Policy and Services (Wai 2750). The Inquiry is an opportunity to reset the housing system in partnership with Māori.

On this page: 

Memahi tahi tatou, mō te oranga o te katoa

We should work together for the benefit of everyone 

A black and white photograph from 1970 showing the outside of a residential house

Māori Affairs Housing, Auckland. 21 Kelston Street, New Lynn.
Photographer: G Riethmaier. October 1970, Auckland
Image source: Housing in New Zealand – Archives New Zealand. (external link)

About Wai 2750 – Housing Policy and Services Kaupapa Inquiry 

The Waitangi Tribunal will hear evidence from claimants and the Crown about housing policy and services and the impact these had, and continue to have, on Māori. Many of the claims have been brought on behalf of whānau, hapū and iwi from across the motu.

The Wai 2750 panel is Presiding Officer, Judge Craig Coxhead and Prue Kapua, Dr Paul Hamer, Basil Morrison and Kim Ngarimu.

The lead-Minister for the Housing Policy and Services Kaupapa Inquiry (Wai 2750) is Hon Tama Potaka, Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing).

Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga coordinate and lead the Crown’s response to Wai 2750.  We have a dedicated team leading Treaty-anchored analysis and supporting the Crown agencies involved in housing to ensure a timely and well considered response to the Inquiry.

Claims

The Tribunal will hear claims based upon the Crown’s alleged actions relating to an inadequate standard of rural and urban housing for Māori, the Crown’s delivery of state services, programmes and support enabling Māori access to adequate housing, and the relationship between housing and health.


Māori houses at Pakuranga, Auckland, built from a plan of the Department of Māori Affairs.
Photographer: G Riethmaier. October 1970, Auckland
Image source: Housing in New Zealand – Archives New Zealand(external link)

Stage One – Homelessness

Stage One of the Wai 2750 Inquiry focused on Māori homelessness, and Crown policies, legislation, practices, actions, and alleged omissions from 1 August 2009 to 2021 related to a national strategy addressing issues of Māori homelessness.

The Inquiry commenced in 2019 and there were 79 initial claims. Hearings were held in Auckland and Wellington in 2021. ‘Kāinga Kore: The Stage One Report of the Housing Policy and Services Kaupapa Inquiry on Māori Homelessness’ was released by the Waitangi Tribunal on 19 May 2023.

The Inquiry report can be accessed on the Ministry of Justice website(external link)

Stage Two – Prehearing phase

Status: Pre-hearing interlocutory. 

Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga lead the development of strategies, frameworks and plans to facilitate the Crown’s response to Wai 2750.  There are approximately 185 claims participating in the second stage of the Inquiry.

Pakitara

The Tribunal has identified four pakitara for Stage Two:

  • Te Ao Kāinga - Housing policy, practice and regulation of the housing market 
  • Whānau Kāinga - Social housing: the provision of ‘public housing’ by the government (central or local or both) 
  • Whenua Māori - Use and development of Māori land for housing 
  • Hauora – The relationship between poor physical and mental health (and other socio-economic factors) and housing.

Research to support Wai 2750

Research is critical to the outcome of Wai 2750. It ensures there is a strong evidence base on both the issues raised by the claimants and the solutions needed to reset the housing system in partnership with Māori.

Read the Research 

Get in touch with the Wai 2750 team

If you've any questions about Wai 2750, contact us at wai_2750@hud.govt.nz.

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