PRESS RELEASE

MANA Vice President John Minto

From Glen Innes to Baghdad - MANA to support housing rally this evening

Thursday 11th October

MANA will be supporting a rally in Glen Innes this evening to oppose the ongoing destruction of the Glen Innes community by the mass removal of state houses.

The rally has been organised by the Tamaki Housing Group for 7pm this evening in Apirana Avenue, Glen Innes (opposite top end of Castledine Cres).

“Over the past three months dozens of state houses have been removed from Glen Innes leaving parts of the community looking like the war-torn suburbs of Baghdad” says MANA Vice President John Minto.

“Housing Minister Phil Heatley is determined to slash the number of state houses in Glen Innes – in the first stage of the “redevelopment” the number will be halved – from 156 to just 78 – and the land sold to private developers for high-cost housing. The Minister does not believe people on low-incomes should be able to enjoy a sea view”.

“Glen Innes is a community being torn apart for private profit by a couldn’t-care-less government”.

“Every time houses have been moved, under cover of darkness and without media attention, the police have often acted in a thuggish brutal manner towards protestors and the stoic women of Glen Innes who are leading this struggle to protect their community”.

Dozens of people have arrested in the process – eight more last Thursday.

The rally will be calling for a moratorium on the so-called “redevelopment” so the community can negotiate proposed changes with the government.

When this development was first proposed the community were promised:

1. That the number of state houses would NOT decrease and

2. That NO-ONE would be evicted from their home if they didn’t want to go.

“Both promises have been trashed along with the state houses themselves”.

ENDS

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