ACT, NZ First hesitant to criticise National over 'Kāinga Ora' name

Coalition partners NZ First and ACT say "Kāinga Ora" should be called "Homes and Communities", but do not appear eager to criticise National over continuing to use the old name.

The National-NZ First coalition agreement demands that the government "ensure all public service departments have their primary name in English, except for those specifically related to Māori".

Housing Minister Chris Bishop on Monday announced an independent review into social housing agency Kāinga Ora, referring to it by that name rather than its English name "Homes and Communities".

Asked about it at the time, he said: "Because that's its, that's its, that's how it's known, that's its name".

"You've got to remember Kāinga Ora was set up as, essentially, a new entity back in 2018-19. It's been known as Kāinga Ora from its inception as a Crown entity."

On Tuesday morning he was again asked to defend the move, and said changing the name was something that would be considered in due course.

"Kāinga Ora is the name of the entity, it was created in 2019 as a new agency - brought together KiwiBuild, Housing New Zealand and a couple of other entities," he said.

"I'm focused on sorting out the financial performance issues at Kāinga Ora.

"In due course we'll consider that. Kāinga Ora is known as Kāinga Ora Homes and Communities, I don't know a single person who calls it "Homes and Communities".

NZ First leader Winston Peters was asked if continuing to refer to the agency as Kāinga Ora was a breach of his coalition agreement.

"When it comes to communication, then I'd try and impress upon the media that all communication's about understanding and comprehension. If it doesn't fit that bill, then what are we doing?" he said.

"We know that the balance of the population, a significant majority, don't understand."

However, he was not particularly interested in taking Bishop to task over the matter.

"Oh look, we're not going to go around pointing out small mistakes," Peters said. "They'll get it right over time if our purpose is to get things right where the public are concerned.

"I'm concerned about the service they deliver, not woke virtue signalling."

ACT leader David Seymour said it went against the coalition's policy.

"Government policy is to have English names first in order that people can understand what people do in the government and help navigate the government ... I think in line with government policy it should have its English name first, simply because that allows people to understand what that is that each department does in the language that most people can understand.

"I know people try and politicise this but it's purely practical and pragmatic."

But like Peters, Seymour was also not keen to bring the minister to task over the matter.

"Obviously the priority with him, as with me, is actually the result of the department, whatever it's called. However, I'd just make the point that government policy is to have English names first."

He said in his experience most people did understand what 'Kāinga Ora' did.

"Generally I find that people do, it's been that for five years, however, I suspect that most people would find it more intuitive to be communicated with in the language that they are used to speaking and fluent in.

"You can talk about what it should be called, but for the record, government policy, it's 'Homes and Communities'."

"If people want to call it Kāinga Ora then I'm hardly going to lose sleep over that ... you know, people obviously in a free society can call it whatever they like, and if people understand them then I guess that's a win-win for everyone."

The coalition agreement also requires that communications by public service departments and Crown Entities be primarily in English, again except where they relate specifically to Māori, and sets out the plan to make English an official language in legislation.