Govt Dismantling Of Public Housing Confirmed With Kāinga Ora Axing A Net 620 Roles – PSA

The sacking of hundreds of workers at Kāinga Ora is just more evidence of the Government’s heartless treatment of vulnerable families who rely on the support of the state for a roof over their heads.

Kāinga Ora today confirmed final plans to shed a net 620 roles across various teams. Many of these workers are providing frontline services to support tenants such as those at call centres and those working with other government agencies to find the right houses, in the right place for families.

“This is another shameful day for the Government which promised no cuts to frontline services – this is a lie which is being exposed every day across the public sector,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

“Many workers will now have to re-apply for new roles, with 769 workers having their roles disestablished. This piles stress and uncertainty on so many people doing valuable work for families across New Zealand.

“The Government is turning its back on supporting vulnerable families who have relied on Kāinga Ora to provide them with warm and secure homes – a basic human right.

“Just as we have seen with the attack on underpaid women, this is a government that favours the privileged. Fewer public houses will be built by the Government as it repeats the mistakes of the past and shifts the responsibility to community providers.

“The Government made a choice to gut Kāinga Ora – all part of the bigger plan to cut public services, and fund tax breaks for landlords. The irony is not lost on workers.”

The latest cuts mean a third of the Kāinga Ora workforce has been shown the door in a year.

“The dismantling of Kāinga Ora will make it harder for a future government to rebuild the agency that was succeeding in housing thousands of families. It’s disgraceful.”