Robyn Rauna, chief executive of the Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki Māori iwi, will oversee the insurance response for the small community of Te Karaka, in addition to leading the charge to replace or repair homes for the next six months.
The Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki is one of three principal Māori iwi in the Tūranga district. It is also the largest of the three, with 6,258 members as of 2013. Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki territory is primarily located in the Gisborne region, an area that was devastated by the recent weather events to hit Aotearoa.
In a report from Newshub, Rauna said that the tribe is coming up with a bold plan to rebuild and repair homes in Te Karaka, with the iwi aiming to bring 100 portable homes by the end of May so whānau can live in the community while repairs are carried out.
Of the 110 homes impacted in the area, 66 were insured, while the other 44 were uninsured. Rauna hopes that support for these uninsured whānau will be addressed in the upcoming budget.
"The reality is Māori whānau can't afford it … when they're just trying to put bread on the table," Rauna said. "We are hoping … central government will hear the cries of our people to help us help our people into warm, safe, dry homes."
The effort of Rauna and the Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki in the aftermath of the Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle is just one of many. Recently, Vero donated generators to a Putekapu marae that is heavily involved in helping the community after the storms.
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