Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Housing NZ job losses increases risks for vulnerable tenants

26 October 2011

Housing New Zealand job losses increases risks for vulnerable tenants

Housing New Zealand is getting rid of up to 150 staff and putting its vulnerable tenants at risk, says the PSA, the country’s biggest union.

“Housing New Zealand announced today that it is cutting 70 jobs by April next year but that is a best case scenario. Housing New Zealand has advised us that up to 150 jobs could go,” says Richard Wagstaff, PSA National Secretary.

“Originally, 220 jobs were targeted but strong representation from the PSA has seen that number significantly reduced. However, the restructure is still going to impact on tenants.”

Recently, Housing New Zealand announced that only people will high social needs will be eligible for state housing. Now it is proposing to divest itself of responsibility for any social problems that arise by flicking them on to the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and other agencies.

“Previously, tenancy managers assisted tenants with their wider social problems and liaised with social agencies to get them the help they needed,” says Richard Wagstaff. “Now tenants, many of them with high needs, will have to try to access social services without support. There’s a risk these vulnerable tenants will now fall between the cracks and not receive the help they need.”

The PSA has written to Housing New Zealand, asking how it intends to work with MSD to ensure tenants get timely referrals to social agencies. However, Housing New Zealand is refusing to discuss the issue with the union.

“As a state agency, Housing New Zealand needs to accept that it has a social responsibility for its tenants,” says Richard Wagstaff. “If it restricts its role purely to managing property, it is failing in its duty to the community.”

ENDS

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

Gordon Campbell: On How Climate Change Threatens Cricket‘s Future

Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else and complaining that he's inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” - which is how most of us would describe his own coalition agreements, 100-Day Plan, and backdated $3 billion handout to landlords... More


 
 
Public Housing Futures: Christmas Comes Early For Landlords

New CTU analysis of the National & ACT coalition agreement has shown the cost of returning interest deductibility to landlords is an extra $900M on top of National’s original proposal. This is because it is going to be implemented earlier and faster, including retrospective rebates from April 2023. More


Green Party: Petition To Save Oil & Gas Ban

“The new Government’s plan to expand oil and gas exploration is as dangerous as it is unscientific. Whatever you think about the new government, there is simply no mandate to trash the climate. We need to come together to stop them,” says James Shaw. More

PSA: MFAT Must Reverse Decision To Remove Te Reo

MFAT's decision to remove te reo from correspondence before new Ministers are sworn in risks undermining the important progress the public sector has made in honouring te Tiriti. "We are very disappointed in what is a backward decision - it simply seems to be a Ministry bowing to the racist rhetoric we heard on the election campaign trail," says Marcia Puru. More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.