Mayor Brown Tells Low Income Residents It's OK to Feel Unsafe In a Council-Owned Home

"I am astonished that Mayor Len Brown has suggested that low income elderly tenants of the Auckland Council should expect to feel unsafe in their homes," says Mayoral candidate John Palino.

Speaking to TVNZ, Mayor Brown said it was a privilege to live in unsafe Council flats because the rents were low.

"Perhaps someone should have told the Mayor that the Council provides this service so that our elderly can live out their lives in dignity.

"It's not OK for tenants of Council-owned pensioner flats to feel unsafe just because they cannot afford more expensive accommodation.

"We had a major breach of trust and security 10 weeks ago when up to seven homes inhabited by older residents were invaded, with one especially brutal attack leaving one elderly lady badly bruised and bleeding.

"The Council has since procrastinated about whether or not it should provide basic levels of safety like security latches.

"This is not how we should be treating people.

"The sad irony here is that many elderly are finding themselves in increasingly difficult financial positions because their fixed incomes are unable to keep up with the Mayor's rates increases. To hear him suggest that residents should either toughen up or move elsewhere betrays one of the most fundamental responsibilities of government - keeping people safe - and demonstrates a troubling lack of respect for some of our most vulnerable," said Palino.

ENDS

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