Ministry 'satisfied' with Rotorua homeless charity but wider inquiry calls grow

Wednesday, 7 September 2022

Rotorua’s emergency housing motels are back in the spotlight and the Human Rights Commission has revealed it is also looking into the issue, including in the tourist city.

Audits of homeless charity Visions of a Helping Hand have raised no issues, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development says, and it’s “satisfied” the group is delivering on its contract.

The group manages emergency housing in Rotorua, where the wider issue of using motels is still creating political issues in the wake of a TVNZ Sunday programme, with National Housing spokesperson Chris Bishop calling for an inquiry by the Auditor-General.

Bishop’s call comes just one day after Māori Party co-leader and Waiariki MP Rawiri Waititi called for an independent inquiry into what he dubbed “an absolute train wreck”.

Bishop had also previously criticised the motel situation in Rotorua for “appalling scenes of intimidation, violence, misery and crime”.

TVNZ's Sunday investigation into the conditions in Rotorua's emergency housing triggered calls for action.

* Moteliers paid millions for housing the homeless reject claims they're onto a 'get-rich-quick' scheme

* 'Golden Mile' to 'MSD Mile': Rotorua's reputation takes a hit amid housing crisis

National Housing spokesperson Chris Bishop has called on the Auditor-General to conduct an inquiry into emergency accommodation in Rotorua.

The Human Rights Commission has also revealed it is “looking into conditions surrounding emergency/transitional housing, including in Rotorua”.

It has asked people in emergency accommodation to share their experiences as part of its probe.

According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, “no critical actions were identified” with Visions of a Helping Hand during the most recent accreditation assessment – on June 29, 2020.

“HUD continually monitors the work of contractors delivering emergency housing services,” general manager William Barris said in a statement to Stuff.

“HUD is satisfied Visions of a Helping Hand has delivered on the terms of its contract.”

Barris also said the security providers used by Visions were certified to the NZ Private Security Personnel Licencing Authority, “and allegations relating to the security service are taken very seriously and were passed onto the Private Security Licencing Authority”.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Bishop said he had written to Auditor-General John Ryan requesting an inquiry.

“The story focused on emergency housing in the city, and in particular housing managed by provider Visions of a Helping Hand,” he said.

“A significant amount of public money is paid to providers of emergency accommodation and the New Zealand public deserve to know that it is being spent appropriately and that there is Government oversight of such expenditure.”