Manawatu Tenants Union

Two Tier Society

                            Affordable rental housing is perhaps the greatest social issue of the decade.To achieve a fundamental change in state housing,will require the power of central government.Increasing numbers of people want government to use its considerable power to do good,to cut poverty,rebuild public services and give people hope.

                            The lack of affordable rental housing is a health and inequality time bomb.Day after day we hear and read media reports of children,yes children living on the streets of Auckland.Many other families live in cars,garages or are living in overcrowded housing,and we wonder why we have a two tier society. These problems are to be found here in Palmerston North,it is just not an Auckland issue it is nation wide.

                         The Manawatu Tenants Union along with other community agencies in the city deal with a growing tide of homeless families.A number of families are housed in motels as they are not seen in need of a state house.Make no mistake housing is in crisis and needs to be rebuilt into a state asset,like the one that served the country well for decades.The need has never been greater,as the housing crisis is here  and will not go away.If you are not outraged-you're not paying attention.

                         The government appears to be turning a blind eye to the problems their housing policies are causing thousands of New Zealand families,all political parties should be trying to sort out the mess that is Housing New Zealand.