Posts Tagged ‘Kainga Ora’
CAN’T SHE SEE IT?

Fascinating to see that Poto Williams, the hapless Associate Minister for Housing, reacting to the sustained pressure by National’s Nicola Willis regarding Kainga Ora tenants gone feral, has reversed her previous ‘no eviction’ policy and announced that she has directed Kainga Ora to use the ‘three strikes’ complaint scheme provided for in the Residential Tenancies Act to evict tenants who terrorise their neighbours.
The irony of that decision must have escaped her. Here she is directing a three strikes solution at the same time her government is moving to repeal the three strikes provision in the criminal jurisdiction with Labour saying three strikes doesn’t work.
Funny if it weren’t so sad.
New Zealand … the way you’ve got it.
RIGHTS VS RESPONSIBILITY

A little while ago I authored a post lamenting the demise of personal responsibility under Labour. The commitment to people being required to take personal responsibility for their actions is a major distinguishing feature between National and Labour.
And so it is that we read yet again at https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300469297/brawls-and-police-raids-living-next-door-to-members-of-rival-gangs of rival gang members occupying Kianga Ora housing attacking each other and terrorising other residents. So much for the concept of ‘quiet enjoyment’.
And we have to assume Mark Rawson, the Waikato Regional Director for Kianga Ora, was speaking for the government when he said in the article that ‘the agency did not discriminate against those who were connected to different groups in society, and who were equally part of the community with the right to a home’ and further ‘that eviction was a last resort and experience had shown it did not solve problems, because people still needed a house.
What tosh.
You do not have a right to a Kianga Ora home. You apply for it. There’s a waiting list. Being allocated a state house is a privilege which comes with a reduced rental matched to income compared with those private sector rentals and (now) a lifetime tenancy unrelated to changed personal circumstances. With the privilege comes obligations … to pay one’s rent; maintain the property and be a good neighbour. Abuse that privilege and you’re out on the street and good luck with finding alternative accommodation. There will be more deserving tenants on the wait list ready and eager for the chance to better themselves.
And what about the kids? Yes, that’s an issue but the power to fix the problem rests entirely with the parent. Modify your anti social behavior or reap the consequences. It’s called taking personal responsibility. St Jacinda may bang on about being kind but taking personal responsibility for ones actions trumps that any day in my book. Actually I care more about vulnerable neighbours left afraid and hanging and devoid of hope that Kainga Ora will come to their rescue anytime soon.
I strongly suspect the increasing debacle around the management of Kainga Ora housing will become an election issue.
SORRY … I STILL THINK BEING GIVEN A STATE HOUSE IS A PRIVILEGE NOT TO BE ABUSED

In the 1950’s I, like many New Zealanders, grew up in a State House. My parents got it new and eventually purchased it outright thanks to the Holyoake government. I know it was an article of faith with them that they paid their rent on time and equally, that they maintained the house to the highest standard. For the record and come election time dad tramped the streets for Labour while mum remained a devout Tory … but that’s another story.
But I know dad would have rebelled at this story about Kainga Ora. A State House turned into a gang pad with party goers terrorising the neighborhood including threatening to kill the elderly couple next door and Kainga Ora refusing to evict per courtesy of a change in government policy. All part of Ardern’s determination to be kind to ferals and f**k the rest.
Does anyone think the situation is going to improve any time soon? New Zealand, the way you’ve got it.