Ardern promises to get tough on squalor
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Boarding houses playing host to struggling families will be subject to tough rules and basic standards under a Labour government, leader Jacinda Ardern has promised.
During a visit to Mangere Budgeting Services in South Auckland, she vowed to clamp down on squalid living conditions in boarding houses.
‘‘Our view is that these families, this community cannot afford another three years of a National government ... there is severe housing stress in this community. Labour has a plan of action that we believe will make a difference for these families and this community.
‘‘Of course we want to tackle the housing crisis and ensure that we have affordable housing, more state housing.
‘‘We also want to see regulation around boarding houses and under a Labour government you will see a regulatory regime introduced to make sure that those who are offering up boarding houses are making sure that they have a home that is warm, that is dry, that has the basics like windows.
‘‘We also want to make sure that we keep on top of the loan sharks that are operating in this community.’’
Mangere Budgeting Services chief executive Darryl Evans said families were ‘‘doing it tough’’.
He told the Labour leader of an increasing number of children going to school hungry.
‘‘More and more we’re seeing families one or two weeks away from rental arrears being made homeless. And so we’re now seeing them in a range of situations which are not necessarily appropriate; from the garages to the boarding houses to motels, which are simply not fit for purpose.’’
He said he knew of one family of 11 living a caravan for the past 10 months.
‘‘This is what our families are telling us: 63 per cent of our families are paying 65 per cent of their weekly income to the landlord.’’
Boarding houses were often overcrowded, unhealthy and children were getting sick.
Ardern was shown the budgeting service’s food bank, where she helped pack some food parcels.
Ardern said Labour’s focus was clear.
‘‘We are certainly focused this election on saying that after nine years of drift, this community and the families who are using this food bank deserve better. ‘‘We can do better than this.’’ In a half-day of campaigning yesterday, Ardern also spoke to a First Union meeting, where she strengthened her commitment to fair pay agreements before spending the afternoon to prepare for the final leaders debate of the campaign.