Rotorua emergency housing 'feasting on dysfunction' - Waititi

September 6, 2022

Rawiri Waititi says successive governments created Rotorua's emergency housing crisis.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi says the emergency housing system in Rotorua is using people as a commodity, and "there should be consequences" if the allegations levelled against charity Visions of a Helping Hand are proven.

It follows an investigation by TVNZ's Sunday into the grim conditions for some of our most vulnerable on Fenton Street.

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

The calls come after a TVNZ expose revealed appalling conditions and allegations of intimidation towards tenants.

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.

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.

"It's been three years since many of those whānau were moved into hotels," Waititi, who is also the MP for Waiariki, told Breakfast. "We want to know, where to from here? Are those vulnerable whānau safe?

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

"We agree, we don't want them living in cars, we don't want them living on streets, but what is the alternative?

"It has been an issue of monopolising and also using our people as a commodity, the system is now feasting on the dysfunction that it's created amongst our people and that must stop."

Waititi has called for an investigation into the crisis, as has National. Waititi noted that "this is not just this government's issue, this has been successive governments that have created this issue".

He has also urged the Government to declare a state of housing emergency in order to pass legislation to tackle the crisis.

READ MORE: Nats, Te Pāti Māori want Rotorua emergency housing investigated

"There's been huge allegations made... We're talking about allegations of sexual assault, we're talking about serious criminal misconduct, physical and mental abuse, all of those types of things," Waititi said.

"If the investigation comes out that there is none of that happening, then that's good for those who are receiving those contracts, but if they are then there should be consequences."

He added that Sunday's exposé hadn't come as a shock to him.

READ MORE: Rotorua emergency housing crisis 'devastating' - councillor

"They're not here by accident, this issue has been created by a brutal and very violent colonisation strategy that was deliberately designed to produce this outcome for tangata whenua.

"A million dollars per day is being spent in Rotorua for emergency housing. When does the taxpayer know that their money is being spent on a system that is safe ... and that will start putting whānau into homes?"

Waititi said that his constituents in the city were concerned, and would help anyone who is in need "but they want to also feel safe".

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.

"They want to ensure that they can go back to the days when they could walk Fenton Street without having the fear of the dysfunction that it has created at this particular time."

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.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told Breakfast on Monday that she has full faith in Housing Minister Megan Woods, and said the Government did not want motels to be long-term places of residence for any New Zealander.

"We're actually, as a government, responsible for building 10% of the state houses that New Zealand has, in total. That's how quickly we've moved, over 10,000 houses, but we need to keep going so that in the longer term we don't need those motel contracts in the first place," she said.

Housing Minister Megan Woods said the Government was working "incredibly closely" with Mayor Steve Chadwick and the council.

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

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