Newshub understands there have been major ructions behind the scenes in the Labour Party over housing for Māori.
A stoush broke out between Labour's Māori caucus and Housing Minister Megan Woods over how much of the money set aside in this year's Budget should go to Māori.
It's extremely rare for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's fortified caucus to leak but the fact it has speaks to how dire the situation had become.
Newshub understands Labour's Māori caucus reached breaking point with the Housing Minister, scrapping over how much of this year's housing budget should go to Māori.
Newshub has been told it got so bad that the row was nearly escalated to the Prime Minister, but instead Labour's deputy leader Kelvin Davis was asked to step in to mediate.
A Government source has told Newshub that the biggest barrier to Māori getting what they need in Budget 2021 is the Housing Minister.
It all kicked off after the Government's big $3.8 billion housing announcement in March - not a cent was specifically set aside for Māori.
The Government quickly scrambled to promise more targeted funding was coming for Māori in this month's upcoming Budget announcement.
It turns out no figure had been locked in - and much biffo ensued.
The Government has now settled on a figure - somewhere south of a billion dollars.
