ZB have apologised today to John Tamihere for comments Mike Hosking made regarding funding Te Pou Matakana had received from the Ministry of Māori Development.
ZB accepted Te Pou Matakana was entitled to the funds and was entitled to pay out the sums that it did, and they apologised for the way the story might have suggested JT personally benefited.
This type of apology from ZB for their on-air stoush with him is a reminder that Tamihere intends to run a hard campaign in Tamaki Makarau this election.
It also puts the issue of development front and centre of the ballot. Tamihere has the experience and skill of building and delivering housing and that is a skill set Auckland is still desperately screaming out for.
The failure of Kiwibuild aside, the Government needs a new developmental plan to mass build low-cost housing through a State House rent to buy model.
With construction at a standstill, a new Ministry of Works that specialises in mass building social housing must be a consideration to get us out of the malaise of the post-pandemic economy.
This apology allows Tamihere to highlight that skill set to the electorate again as voters turn their attention towards the bread and butter issues like housing.
First published on Waatea News.
