1500 (2026). Hon Kieran McAnulty to the Minister of Housing

1500 (2026). Hon Kieran McAnulty to the Minister of Housing: What was the annual cost of the Waste Diversion from Landfill programme before it was discontinued in October 2024 and what was the purpose of the programme?

Hon Chris Bishop: Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities advises me that the average annual cost of its Waste Minimisation Programme was approximately $450,000. Kāinga Ora advises that the majority of these costs related to personnel, reflecting three specialist full‑time equivalent roles. The programme was discontinued, and the associated roles disestablished, in October 2024. Kāinga Ora also advises me that the purpose of the Waste Minimisation Programme was to support cross‑government objectives to reduce construction and demolition waste going to landfill. The programme focused on applying more sustainable site‑clearance and development practices, including house relocation, deconstruction, and the recovery and reuse of materials. Through this work, materials from Kāinga Ora sites were made available for use by community groups, schools, marae and households, and suitable homes scheduled for demolition were instead relocated to Māori and community housing providers and training organisations, helping to reduce waste and retain value within communities.