Introducing Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development - Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga - Ministry of Housing and Urban Development

Published 06 Nov 20

The Ministry has adopted a te reo Māori name: Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga translates to ‘the foundation for a treasured home’.

The origins of the name are found in the whakataukī – ‘he kura kāinga e hokia, he kura tangata e kore e hokia’, or ‘a treasured home will endure, not so a treasured person’.

It carries a strong connection to our purpose: he kāinga ora, he hapori ora – thriving communities where everyone has a place to call home.

It speaks to the importance of ensuring the wellbeing of people within the home, and our connection with the land – acknowledging the generations of people who have always called this place ‘home’ – and our commitment to delivering for future generations of New Zealanders.

The name was gifted to HUD by Kingi Kiriona, a passionate advocate for te reo Māori.

Changes to our website to incorporate our te reo name will occur gradually. Our website domain (www.hud.govt.nz(external link)) and email addresses (@hud.govt.nz) will stay the same.

Learn more about the story behind our name and how to pronounce it.