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Kia ora Minister Adams,
In 1 days’ time, a family of five in Upper Hutt will become homeless. They are in the final week of a 90 Day notice to vacate.
The mother, “S”, works part-time in two jobs, for twenty hours a week. She cannot afford current market rentals. And according to her, landlords are becoming very picky, and preferring “professional couples” or “professional families”. This appears to be code for No Brown People Please.
WINZ/MSD has categorised her as Category C – which is not urgent.
“S” has scoured Trademe for rentals and has tried various emergency services. She has tried emergency accomodation at Harcourt Caravan Park and Hawks Inn motel – but those are full with visiting UK rugby fans.
“S” is desperate and at her wits end.
To compound matters, there is a six month baby in the family to one of her sons and his partner.
On Friday, “S” will have to vacate the rental she has lived in for fourteen years.
She has run out of options, except one.
She will obtain a van and will camp outside MSD/WINZ in Main Street, Upper Hutt. All five of them. Including the baby.
To avert the media storm that will erupt when “S” camps outside WINZ/MSD, surely to god in 21st Century New Zealand, there must be some accommodation available. (Why are their vacant state houses in Timberlea, Upper Hutt?!)
Minister Adams, I wrote to your office on Monday (26 June) evening when “S” approached me for help. I provided phone numbers for her and myself in that email to you. Thus far no one has contacted us, except for an email from a ‘Private Secretary’ received today (27 June) advising that my email to you had been passed on to Associate Minister, Alfred Ngaro.
This is not good enough that you are now engaging in an email-go-round whilst a family is about to lose their home and live in the street.
If you want to help “S”, then do what you are paid to do. Ms Adams, you are the Minister for Social Housing. This is your responsibility.
If not, a family of five with a 6 month old baby will be living outside one of your offices – an office that is supposedly there to help people in need.
You have three days.
–Frank Macskasy
-fs-
Post this in EVERY PAPER IN THE COUNTRY.
Thanks, Geoff.
I’ve sent a follow-up email to the Private Secretary suggesting that course of action will follow. I expressed my view that it was in Ms Adams’ interest to find “S” accomodation before we go further public to the media.
Frank I agree with you, this is a terrible situation. I am sympathetic to the family’s predicament, no child especially should have to endure this. I am however torn as I tend towards the personal responsibility side of the debate. Hopefully one day we can break these cycles, both on a personal and governmental level
As for the ‘professional couples/families’, it’s probably got more to do with not wanting crap tenants in your investment over race. It’s not all fun and games for landlords.
OffWhite, “S” has done everything available to her. We discussed her options last night and I ticked off every single avenue left to her. When I say she’s run out of options, I mean precisely that. Referring to “personal responsibility” in a situation like this is meaningless.
It is unclear to me how anyone can be “personally responsible” for ongoing occupancy of a house they do not own.
“S” has resided in her rental for fourteen years. She is hardly a “crap tenant”.
Chrissakes, Off white, she’s looking after 4 people in her household. How much more “personal responsibility” do you demand from someone?
The woman is a hero. From the sounds of things, she’s got a mountain of responsibility on her shoulders!
Frank, best of luck, mate. Good on you!
so true Samwise
+1 Samwise
From what Frank has described, she’s looked into every single avenue. There are reasons why people are homeless in this country and flicking it off as “lack of personal responsibility” is ducking for cover by some people who don’t understand very real problems.
S has run out of options by the sounds of things and knocking on someone’s door takes a lot of guts. If setting aside your personal pride to ask for help is “taking personal responsibility” I don’t know what is. Stay staunch Ms S. As our wise sage Samwise said, you’re a hero.
Spot on, Samwise!!!
I showed this story to a journo mate of mine and she printed off a copy. I think this may hit front pages soon.
its an election year. This should have traction. Especially a van parked up outside a MSD office. That will go down like a lead balloon with the Pollies…
Indeed, Jono. Precisely my thinking. If this doesn’t embarrass Minister Adams into action then truly we have run out of hope.
Personal resposibility Frank is used by Neo Liberals as a sheild so as a society no one has to have any responsibility for anyone else. Its about Atomisation frank everyone is considered an individual so if something bad happens to them it is there personal fault and they ware it.
Well done Frank and many thanks on behalf of S and her family.
Perhaps people should also join S and her family, camping outside the WINZ/MSD offices in Upper Hutt, as a show of support and camaraderie. Not only would that bring attention to the fact struggling Kiwi families are doing it tough, resorting to living on the street, though inadequate housing being made available, also it would throw a bad light on the poor attitude of this government towards homeless Kiwis, ignoring their desperate plight.
The more people there, the more the publicity. Might even reach international media.
I wish S and her family all the very best in getting a home.
Thanks, Mary. We’re on it.
Tis rips my heart out every time this evil PM Bill English administration carry on with John Key’s “brighter future” policy by throwing our venerable to the wolves to die in the cod exposures ahead!!!!!!!
If this PM does not show compassion and reverses his continuation of making us all just tenants in our own land, – then he is not a true practicing catholic, as he only represents as being a good “gatekeeper” for the rich foreign speculators & property tycoons!!!!!!!!!
Shame on you, – you Judas priest Bill English!!
They just don’t care Frank
This is Amy Aadms portfolio, she is responsible. Hipkins can attempt to hold her to account but sadly,like all National ministers and Prime minister, she will be protected by the speaker.
Hi Frank
Accomodation is actually spelt: Accommodation.
The priority of the Nats is tax cuts and encouraging any and all business. Social dare I say Socialist policies have been continually degraded by the the religion of neoliberalism. It’s depressing how far down we’ve gone in looking after ordinary people, they aren’t interested! 🙁 They simply can’t and won’t understand that the social disorder in our society is made worse and worse by their delusional attitudes.
Another example the deliberate underfunding of the health system.! 🙁
Two ‘c’ and two ‘m’. Got it. Ta, Jay.
And yes, a socialist system for housing would be a vast improvement on what we have here now.
Now, how about 5000 people visit Ms adams in her electoral office? How about the homeless go and camp on alan gibb’s ‘ sculpture park ‘ ? Should we ask the BNZ where our money is from the sell-off’s of OUR rail, power, phone, and now housing etc etc etc etc? Lets reopen the Cook Islands Tax swindle allegations? Lets muzzle winston peters during that investigation, for longer would be better. Can those 5000 ask michael fay and david richwhite? How come a personal wealth of $890 million each, that must have been quite the hourly rate boys? 5000 people? Ask, how come banks ( foreign owned therefore profits off-shore )are making record profits when there are homeless people and soon to be many, many more as people tank trying to pay mind bending amounts of $’ers for average houses on a country the size of the UK but with only 4.7 million people?
$ 94 billion national debt, give or take = $20 K each. Your baby was just born into a $20K debt. You might think “ So what? “ Well, it gives foreign owned banks serious lobbying power on our offices in our parliament buildings for a start. And they did this to you. Pinched your shit then ran up debt in your name.
Is this the spark that ignites the inferno @ Frank?
Well done you. I’m very proud of you @ Frank Macskasy.
Oh. roger douglas….. Lest we forget.
Have you or she had any contact with Chris Hipkins, the local MP?
In the 1970’s we were near the top of the OECD Rankings as a country, we owned our Banks, Insurance Companies, Forestry Companies, Power & Energy Companies, Rail Network, Airlines, Stock & Station Agents, Seed Companies etc. We ran Balance of Payment Surpluses and we had little debt.
Under 30-40 Years of Neoliberalism we are now foreign controlled and have lost control of most of our major companies here in New Zealand with a majority of them being foreign owned. We also are in debt to the Global Banking Cartels to the tune of $80 Billion Public Debt and $ ??? Private Debt, meanwhile we have severe house price inflation, homelessness, child poverty and health related problems, severe issues with drug & alcohol addiction and a mental health system under severe pressure, underfunded police, housing, health & social services.
Shall I keep raving National & Labour have been the left and right wing of the same bird stripping State Assets and flogging them off to the lowest bidder with no thought to the future of the Country.
In the 1970’s we were near the top of the OECD Rankings as a country, we owned our Banks, Insurance Companies, Forestry Companies, Power & Energy Companies, Rail Network, Airlines, Stock & Station Agents, Seed Companies etc. We ran Balance of Payment Surpluses and we had little debt.
Under 30-40 Years of Neoliberalism we are now foreign controlled and have lost control of most of our major companies here in New Zealand with a majority of them being foreign owned. We also are in debt to the Global Banking Cartels to the tune of $80 Billion Public Debt and $ ??? Private Debt, meanwhile we have severe house price inflation, homelessness, child poverty and health related problems, severe issues with drug & alcohol addiction and a mental health system under severe pressure, underfunded police, housing, health & social services.
Shall I keep raving National & Labour have been the left and right wing of the same bird stripping State Assets and flogging them off to the lowest bidder with no thought to the future of the Country.
You seem to have a faulty memory, or you are posting about a different country. Things started to go seriously wrong for the New Zealand economy from 1974 onwards:
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/government/longterm/externalpanel/pdfs/ltfep-s1-04.pdf
absolute bs, any idiot that quotes GDP figures knows absolutely nothing about the economy .. GDP is the pollys smoke and mirror machine creating illusions any which way the polly wants all it does is measure the amount of currency used within a given period of time.. that includes borrowed money, interest paid on that money, servicing that money because the lawyers and others line up to click the ticket as it goes past and finally repayment of that money with the lawyers still in line clipping that ticket, the same dollar is registered at least 3x .. in fact muldoon once said every dollar is measured 7x b4 it goes home…anybody that trusts treasury it got to be balmy for gods sake treasury even gave the dbl dipping thieving lying PM a job
So what did Chris Hipkins say/do? He’s had photo ops at the vacant State housing down in Heretaunga.
Mr Guppy, His Worship? He said what? More to the point – he DID what?
‘The Leader’ – an opinion piece and a call out to see what might be available?
Teresa Homan – Houses 4U?
Possibly Paul Swain – now Regional Council rep but past MP.
If you’ve pushed those buttons and got the ‘Fail!’ buzzer – let us know. At least two of them are supposed to be publicly accountable people.
Thanks for those, Andrea. Upper Hutt no longer has any local council housing – and yet a meeting with Mayor Guppy may be useful in other ways.
Have contacted Ms Homan.
More happening in the background, though nothing certain.
“S” and an advocate working with a NGO are seeking an extension for her to remain in her home for the weekend.
“S” has viewed a rental property (private) today, but has not heard back from the owner yet.
As of tonight, at 11.36PM, I have had no further emails or other communications with Ministers Adams, Ngaro, or their ‘Private Secretaries’.
@ FRANK MACSKASY … come on be fair here.
Nastyanal’s spinners Crosby/Textor are very busy folk at present, covering the backside of Bilious and the party’s rotten hierarchy over the de Barclay affair! So I’d guess Amy Adams, Alfred Ngaro et al will have to wait in the queue before C/T get to conjuring up more bullshit to protect the blue mob!
We will told that it is the family’s choice to live in a van, and by the same people who tell us “smoking is a choice”.
Isn’t it funny how, if you listen to these people, only the poor are free to “choose”?
Whereas poor old Todd was just trying to get ahead by taking that job with the tobacco company, and now the haters and wreckers have spoiled the poor boy’s career!
Nobody ever points out that Todd has far more choices than these poor folk ever had; even now when is about to be put up on. Ruminate charges! But I’m sure the Police will be very apologetic – they may even tip their hats… Todd could have chosen to take a different job: for example, with the Problem Fambling Foundation. But he didn’t exercise that choice in a way that was beneficial for anyone but him.
When faced with a family whose choices are limited, against an individual privileged enough to fully exercise his God given moral authority to choose between good and evil who chooses to do evil, I know where my sympathies lie.
Could not agree more @theweatherman
See my comment above about personal choice and neo liberalism.
Nail on the head weatherman.
The game is stacked from the start – with very little chance to get ahead for most.
Sending a lot of positive vibes to S and her family and eagerly await updates.
We should also consider what happens to those families and individuals who don’t even have the last resort of living in a car or van because they don’t have a licence or even know how to drive (often for medical reasons), so even that indignity is taken away. What would be happening to S’s family were that the situation?
[Andrew, your offensive comment was published by mistake. It should have been trashed. If you want to post rubbish like that, I refer you to Kiwiblog or Whale. – Scarletmod]
Very good questions, Andrewo.
We have established a well functioning pecking order of a society, that involves meritocracy and other processes to “sort out” those undesirable aspects of human individuals and behaviour, that many will think must be “stamped out” with rigour and relentlessly.
This person must be one that has “failed” by the common hunter gatherer human specimen that inhabits these isles down under, so they will slam the person with all prejudice, some like you will say, with all good reasons.
This pecking order is relentless, of the stuff that Paul Bennett wanted to promote when she took over welfare many years ago. Hence the call for a “relentless focus on work”.
Those deemed not able to, or not willing to work, are a LIABILITY, and as you will be familiar with accounting, I suppose, that means, they are better off when moved OFF the ledger, sort of, removed off society, that is unless they “shape up”.
So how would you suggest this should be resolved?
Do you promote this?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auschwitz_concentration_camp
That is where another regime some time back “housed ” the less desirable members of society.
Or do you suggest this?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workhouse
I invite your comments, as “failures” must be addressed, for sure, I am open for suggestions.
[Andrew, that comment was so offensive that I am withdrawing your posting privileges for the next month (July). In fact, I will be contacting TDB administrators to consider banning your permanently. – Scarletmod]
You make a lot of assumptions Andrew, based on no facts.
You think the children should suffer based on your prejudices towards such people.
Why do imagine people work for the minimum wage Andrew?
Could it be because it is all they can get?
I suppose that wouldn’t occur to you because like most right-wingers you are only concerned with your own well-being.
Ain’t that the truth Mike.
I have twittered this and I see Martyn Bradbury and some others have done the same. Not on facebook so couldn’t raise it there. This lady and her family will be pretty scared right now and she needs all the awareness and support from that that she can get to get a roof over their heads. This shouldn’t be happening in NZ, its a bloody disgrace.
Neoliberalism=Dog eat dog.
That is how it was designed Jack. I cannot believe how most members of our society cannot see its immoral consequenses…
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