Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt says he’s “horrified” by what was revealed in a TVNZ Sunday expose about emergency housing in Rotorua, and he wants to hear the stories of those in emergency housing as part of the commission’s housing Inquiry.
The Sunday report has revealed appalling living conditions for some in emergency housing motels, as well as allegations of intimidation and abuse of power against clients of emergency housing provider Visions of a Helping Hand, and subcontracted security company Tigers Express Security Limited.
When Covid-19 hit hard, Rotorua’s famous gateway, the motels of Fenton St, went from holiday to emergency housing.
Mothers shared their stories with the programme of being forced out of their transitional and emergency housing with nowhere to go, including a pregnant mother who was in labour at the time. Another mother says she bought a car to sleep in with her children because they were scared of the security guards.
READ MORE: Undercover report - Rotorua's emergency housing crisis exposed
Hunt says New Zealand’s most vulnerable communities are living in emergency housing, but they have very little support if their rights have been breached.
“When things go wrong they’ve got nowhere to go. They can't go to the Tenancy Tribunal, the law doesn't permit them to. There used to be a Housing Commission, that was abolished 30 or 40 years ago. There's no Housing Ombudsman to support them.”
A Sunday investigation uncovered the reality of the living conditions of those in motel housing in Rotorua.
READ MORE: Rotorua emergency housing crisis 'devastating' - councillor
He says the Commission has strongly recommended there should be a Housing Commissioner or Ombudsman, but that hasn’t been taken up by Government.
“The people living in transitional and emergency housing are entitled to the right to a decent home grounded on Te Tiriti and the Government has a legally-binding obligation to do all they reasonably can to make sure it’s progressively realised.”
READ MORE: Nats, Te Pāti Māori want Rotorua emergency housing investigated
He says the Commission has been looking at emergency housing situations across the country but has had a particular focus on Rotorua.
“We’re really concerned about this…the situation in Rotorua is at the extreme end of the spectrum.”
READ MORE: Rotorua emergency housing 'feasting on dysfunction' - Waititi
He says the Commission wants to hear stories of those in emergency housing as part of a human rights analysis of the current system.
“It’s really important that we hear your stories, so we know the reality, the hard reality, the nature of the problems your whanau and others are suffering. We need to know and that will then inform our recommendations to Government.”
READ MORE: MP calls for investigation into Rotorua emergency housing
The Commission says people can contact them via email.
Visions of a Helping Hand say they’ve supported nearly 3000 people over the last year, and they stand by the decisions they’ve made.
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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