14 December 2022
Media: Stuff
Topic: Government's Emergency Housing review
Enquiry
. . . getting in touch to ask for some comment from Mayor Tania re the announcement yesterday that Cabinet has agreed to ten 'key actions' from a review on emergency housing.
I wanted to ask:
What's Tania's general response to the announcement?
The issue of MSD motels has of course been front and centre here for a while - does Tania believe these changes will see improvements to some of the spin-off problems we are seeing here as highlighted by Mayor Chadwick (drugs, gang activity, anti-social behaviour, etc)?
Megan Woods said, in relation to the housing accord, that MSD motel use in Rotorua would dwindle down to 'near zero' - does Tania have any indication of when we might reach this 'near zero'?
Response
Mayor Tapsell provided the following comment:
“What has been announced through the review will make significant and meaningful change for Rotorua.
“I welcome the Government’s commitment to doing things differently and focusing on better outcomes for those that require emergency housing and the wider community.
“A number of actions identified will support the objectives of our recently signed Rotorua Housing Accord.
“It’s a significant and important improvement to see housing support products that will actually help people to stay in rentals, or get into rentals, and reduce the need for them to ever enter emergency housing.
“The long-term solution is still building more homes to meet demand and to see the end of emergency housing altogether.
“With the signing of our Housing Accord and the actions identified through this review, this is a great step towards achieving systematic change across the country. It’s well overdue for the people not only living in motels but for the neighbouring residents and communities who have suffered from the concentrated use of motels.
“The really good news is we’re already seeing a downward trend in the use of motels, with 20 fewer currently being used than at this time last year. We expect to see this trajectory continue and there is agreement that we need to see the end of mixed-use motels for emergency housing as soon as possible. Further timeframes will be determined through the Housing Accord working groups.”
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Media: NewstalkZB - Early Edition
Topic: Government's emergency housing review
Enquiry
Request for Early Edition show host Kate Hawkesby to interview Mayor Tapsell about Government’s emergency housing review.
Response
Listen to the interview at THIS LINK
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Media: TodayFM
Topic: Government's emergency housing review
Enquiry
Request for Mayor Tapsell to be interviewed by Tova O'Brien about the Government's emergency housing review.
Response
Listen to the interview at this LINK
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Media: Maori Television
Topic: Rotorua Housing Accord
Enquiry
Request to interview Mayor Tapsell about signing of Rotorua Housing Accord
Response
View and read about the interview at THIS LINK
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Daily Post Christmas appeal
Enquiry
I'm working on a story about how there is one week left of our Christmas Appeal for Salvation Army and encouraging people to get behind this last push if they can.
It would be great to get a few comments from the mayor to add in around the below:
- Why do you encourage people to behind the appeal in this last week if they can?
- How has it been to see so much support from the community so far? (We've had Fill the Bus, Zorb cans for a ride, volunteer fire brigade drive, cafes doing cans for coffees to name just a few).
Response
Mayor Tapsell provided the following comment:
“Christmas can be a stressful time financially, and I know this will be particularly relevant this year with much of our community feeling the pressure of increasing living and food costs.
“Donating to the Christmas Appeal is one way that those who are able to, can support local families who may be struggling.
“It has been heart-warming to see how Rotorua has already stepped up this year to support the appeal and I encourage the community to continue to show this level of support in the final week.
“Big or small, your donation will make a real difference to someone else’s Christmas this year.”