5 November 2015

New Govt punishment for our most vulnerable families

The Government’s announcement that it will kick homeless families off the Housing New Zealand wait-list if they refuse to move into mouldy state homes is a classic case of victim-blaming, the Green Party says.

Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett has today launched a new policy to kick people off the Housing New Zealand wait-list for 13 weeks if they turn down more than one more state home.

“Paula Bennett knows that most people who turn down a run-down Housing New Zealand home do so because it is likely to make their kids sick, is unsafe, or there are access issues for people living with disability or illness,” said Green Party social housing spokesperson Marama Davidson.

“This new policy will see families with sick kids, the elderly, disabled people, or those concerned about the safety of living in neglected state homes, kicked off the wait-list if they’re offered more than one unsuitable home.

“This is the latest dog-whistle politics from a minister who’s built a career on blaming poor people for her Government’s failures.

“Every Kiwi deserves the right to live in a warm, safe, healthy home, not to be forced into any old run-down shack just because the Minister says so,” said Ms Davidson.

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