Darroch Ball MP

Spokesperson for Social Development
21 JANUARY 2016

Bennett Shifts State House Headache to Struggling Regions

Regions facing high unemployment may now also be faced with an influx of people looking for work under a proposal to send families on the state house waiting list out of Auckland, says New Zealand First.

“The National Government has been sitting on its hands for far too long. Now it is attempting to conceal a big city housing disaster by shifting it to the regions,” says New Zealand First Social Services Spokesperson Darroch Ball.

“It could have been avoided by adequately maintaining state houses and ensuring enough were built to meet demand.

“Clearing the problem from Auckland, without providing support for the regions, will create towns of misery.

“Regional areas are already under pressure. Manawatu, for example, already has a higher than average unemployment rate, strained health services and community organisations under siege.

“Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett has finally admitted that the ‘good Kiwi life’ is no longer attainable for some Aucklanders, especially Pacific Islanders, invalids and the unemployed. Her solution? They should leave,” says Mr Ball.

“This is not a solution, just moving Auckland’s issues out of sight and out of mind for regional New Zealand to deal with.”

ENDS

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