John Minto
MANA Vice President

19th October 2012

A Small Victory in the Battle for Glen Innes

For the first week in several months there were no state houses removed from Glen Innes this week.

House removal companies and police have backed off after intense protest activity in recent weeks culminated in the arrest of seven protestors on Thursday night last week including MANA Leader Hone Harawira.

“This is a small victory in the battle of Glen Innes” says MANA Vice President John Minto.

“It’s also an opportunity for the Minister of Housing to intervene and agree to a moratorium on further removals so the community can be engaged in discussion about the proposed redevelopments. We are pleased that along with MANA, Labour and the Greens also agree to this approach. It’s common sense given that even National list MP and former Glen Innes pastor Alfred Ngaro agrees no proper process of consultation with the community was carried out before the first state houses were removed”.

“The government wants to “redevelop” Glen Innes, not for the people who live there but for wealthier families from other areas – the poor are to be shifted out to South Auckland or into high rise state housing in GI which on past experience will look like a slum in five years”.

MANA is supporting the community fightback which is being led by the Tamaki Housing Action Group.

MANA will also be supporting the Housing Crisis National Day of Action on 7 November which will include a march on parliament and a petition demanding affordable housing for all New Zealanders.

ENDS

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