After a reasonably positive reception at Rātana, Jacinda Ardern is heading to Waitangi this Thursday, for her first visit as Prime Minister.

In an unprecedented move the Labour leader will be spending five days in the region, saying that she wants to form "strong, open transparent relationships" with Māori and signalling her time at Waitangi is "a fresh start".

Ms Ardern told Morning Report the government is looking for form partnerships with iwi in order to tackle issues such as housing, unemployment and child poverty.

She said home ownership rates for Māori were at 27 percent which was "unacceptable".

The government also aims to reduce the incarceration rate by 30 percent.

Ms Ardern also offered condolences to the family of Hashem Slaimankhel, a New Zealander killed in a bomb blast in Afghanistan.

She said he was a pillar of the refugee community and said the government was available for whatever assistance the family needed.