Michael Naera, a grandfather and father of Ngāti Whakaue, is heartbroken as he and his whānau endure their second winter living in unlivable, uninsulated, temporary accommodation in Ngongotahā, Rotorua. The family’s aspiration to renovate their papa kāinga so their tamariki and mokopuna could return has turned into a nightmare after their renovation project stalled in July 2025.
In 2024, Michael and his wife negotiated a building renovation contract with Callum Benn of CB Built Limited. And upon signing the contract in January 2025 they paid the deposit of more than $79,000 and paid the subsequent monthly payments from February to June as outlined in the payment schedule, spending more than $750,000 in total on the hopes of completing their dream papa kāinga. However, the builder’s company.
Aukaha News has discovered that Callum Benn’s company CB Built Limited along with another company HT Contractors Limited, has recently had a liquidator appointed and the liquidation notified publicly last week (around 11 May 2026).
Since the builder’s work first stalled in June 2025 – and formally halted a month later – Michael and his whānau have been fighting the resulting collapse. They hired a lawyer and requested the bank to stop further payments. To avoid further legal action and financial strain, the whānau has now resigned itself to the situation, deciding to finish the incomplete project on their own despite having no more money left. While Michael accepts there were clear red flags, he admits he was overly trusting and, in hindsight, now recognises Callum as a “deceiver” and a “scammer”. “I’m speaking out to serve as a warning to others to beware of this type of scammer,” Michael says.
To ensure Callum Benn’s perspective was sought for this story, Aukaha News made multiple attempts at contact, including calling the number he supplied, emailing his personal address and his lawyer, and visiting the CB Built Limited registered address provided on the contract.
Kua tahuri tētehi moemoeā whakahou papa kāinga hei moepara
Kei Ngongotahā i Rotorua e haehāe ana te ngākau o Michael Naera, tētehi koroua me tētehi pāpā o Ngāti Whakaue, whai muri i te korenga o ngā mahi whakahou i tō rātou whare kāinga, ā, e noho rangitahi ana rātou i ngā wāhi kāore i whāriki i te wā o te hōtoke tuarua. I pau te $750,000 ki a Callum Benn o CB Built Limited, engari nā te koretake o ngā mahi me te kore o te pūtea, kua moepara kē tō rātou wawata ki te whakahoki i te papa kāinga mō ā rātou mokopuna.
I te tau 2024, ka whiriwhiri tahi a Mike rāua ko tōna rangatira i tētehi kamupene hanga whare, ā, ka waitohua e rāua i tētehi kirimana me Callum Benn o CB Built Limited. I utua e rāua te moni tāpui, he tata ki te waru tekau mano tāra, me ngā utunga ā-mārama neke atu i te $136,000 mai i te Pepuere ki te Hune. He nui ake i te $750,000 i utua katoatia ki te kamupene. Heoi anō, i tērā wiki ka puta te pānui kua tohua he kaiwhakawā utu mō CB Built Limited me HT Contractors Limited.
“Kare he pai tēnei mahi tā te kāmura. Pēhea nei tō tātou papa kāinga mō ngā mokopuna, mo ō mātou whānau. Nā te mea kua wehe atu ta mātou whānau. Ngā wawata ki te hoki mai ki to tātou papa whenua nei,” hei tā Michael.
“Me kōrero kia mātou me pēnei te mea, cheaper me whakarauora o mātou putea. Āe he ahau kuare te tangata rūkahu nei,” hei tāna anō.
Ahakoa i tohe te whānau mā roto i ngā roia, i tono atu hoki ki te peeke kia whakamutua te kaupapa, kāore i puta he hua: “I whawhai mātou. Mai tō mātou roia ki tōna roia. Ka mutu i tono atu mātou ki te peeke ki te whakamutua te whare nei. Kare rātou e whakaae ana te peeke e hōmai ngā moni ki a maatou,” hei tā Michael anō.
Ko te mahi ināianei mā te whānau he whakarite mahere kia whakamutua atu i Nga mahi whakahou i tō rātou.