National, Te Pāti Māori want Rotorua emergency housing investigated

It follows an exclusive report from TVNZ's Sunday programme into the conditions some of our most vulnerable are living in.

There are urgent calls from both National and Te Pāti Māori to investigate the Government agencies and contractors dealing with Rotorua's emergency housing.

It follows an exclusive report from TVNZ's Sunday programme into the conditions some of our most vulnerable are living in in emergency housing motels.

Clients of the charity 'Visions of a Helping Hand' have alleged intimidation, negligence and abuse of power by staff and subcontracted security workers.

It’s alleged Visions staff have kicked women and children out of motels and transitional homes, including a woman who was in labour at the time. Another woman says her children were so scared of Tigers Express Security guards, she bought a car to sleep in with her children instead.

READ MORE: Undercover report - Rotorua’s emergency housing crisis exposed

It’s also alleged Tigers Express Security guards have been involved in sexual relations with vulnerable tenants, taken drugs on the job and that patched gang members have worked security shifts for the company. Both organisations are run by Rotorua man Tiny Deane, and Tigers Express Security subcontracts to Visions of a Helping Hand.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Housing Minister Megan Woods have both said the Government looked into allegations and found there were no concerns.

“Police had advised HUD already had ‘the mechanisms in place’ to take care of ‘persons utilising the services,’” Woods said in a statement.

“HUD has not received advice from police that further action is needed at this stage.”

National leader Christopher Luxon said: “I think all Kiwis would be absolutely appalled by those heartbreaking scenes of emergency housing in Rotorua.”

“We're calling for an independent investigation…what's the Government oversight of all of those providers? That, we need to be able to understand.”

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said: “An immediate independent inquiry must be launched for the wellbeing of our most vulnerable.”

“The emergency housing situation in Rotorua is an absolute train wreck.”

Deane has repeatedly refused interviews on the allegations. When asked whether it was ever justified to kick mothers and babies out with nowhere to go, Visions trustee Taniya Ward said “if you worked in this environment and had to deal with what we had to deal with, you would understand".

“We try and maintain drug-free, alcohol-free and violence-free environment, because of the sheer numbers we deal with, we have to ensure we maintain the integrity of that.”

“We go over and above to help these whānau as much as we can.” That is strongly disputed by current and former clients spoken to by Sunday.

The Rotorua security company featured in the Sunday investigation isn't connected in any way to Tiger Security based in Waimauku, Auckland.

You can watch Sunday’s full investigation here.

When Covid-19 hit hard, Rotorua’s famous gateway, the motels of Fenton St, went from holiday to emergency housing.

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