Moana Mackey
Housing spokesperson

7 October 2011

Report highlights weakness of policy

A new Regional Public Health report warning of links between housing displacement and negative health outcomes is a clear signal that the Government needs to review its policy of reviewable tenancies, says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Moana Mackey.

“This report reinforces what many others have shown – that transience and displacement lead to a range of negative health outcomes including stress, mental health problems and substance abuse,” Moana Mackey said.

“National’s reviewable tenancies policy is a solution looking for a problem. Tenants are already reviewed annually for their income related rent subsidy and if circumstances change, tenancy managers already work with tenants to move them on.

“The reviewable tenancies policy only diverts attention from National’s failure to address New Zealand’s ever-worsening housing shortages,” Moana Mackey said.

“The crux of the problem is not that families refuse to move, but that they have nowhere to go.

“The Government should be focusing on sourcing affordable and appropriate housing, particularly for low income families. Instead we have a bureaucratic reviewable tenancies policy which is already causing huge distress and uncertainty for tenants.

“Housing Minister Phil Heatley needs to seriously review his policy in light of evidence highlighting it will cause a lot more harm than good. National’s shameful legacy in state houses continues,” Moana Mackey said.

ENDS

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