3 December 2018

Compensation before Christmas welcome, but Housing NZ must ensure victims have a place to call home

The Green Party has welcomed victims of the meth testing debacle receiving compensation before Christmas, but is calling on Housing NZ to ensure that anyone displaced from the debacle is provided with a safe place to call home.

“The approach by Housing New Zealand, directed by National, resulted in 800 vulnerable tenants being pushed out of their home and approximately $6.8 million charged for testing and clean up”, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today.

“The baseless hysteria and mismanagement by National resulted in hurt and pain for vulnerable New Zealanders, including the elderly, who just needed a home. Many lost their homes and their possessions.

“We have no idea how many are now homeless as a result of this cruel policy.

“The compensation averaging around $8000 is welcome, and will go some way to helping vulnerable New Zealanders rebuild their life.

“In saying this, we have heard from advocacy groups that many of those affected from the regime are now on the streets or living out of their cars.

“Housing NZ is currently seeking out those affected by the regime to compensate them, in that process they should also be checking if they have a safe place to live and if not, offering that.

“To offer someone made homeless by the previous Government compensation but not a roof over their head means the compensation will provide some reprieve but no certainty of a safe home environment. We must make sure that is achieved”.

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