Kāinga Ora (Housing New Zealand) has apologised to a Whangārei woman and her whānau for not fixing a broken fence for almost two years which enabled her 6-year-old to escape on to State Highway 1
Kāinga Ora apologises to Whangārei mum for dangerous broken fence
![Adam Pearse](https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/nzme/04cedcd7-38a7-4483-895b-dd2866250c10.png)
Mum Adele Hoeta and tamariki Angelo (6) show just how easy it was to climb over their back fence and get on to State Highway 1 just metres above the property. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Since moving in to the property, she had hounded Kāinga Ora to fix the fence. However, Hoeta's cries for help fell on deaf ears. She soon believed it would have to take her son being hit by a car to get any action.
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The Ministry of Education added credibility to Hoeta's urgency in a 2019 letter which asked Kāinga Ora to make sure the property was safe, given Angelo's conditions.
It wasn't until the Northern Advocate reached out to Kāinga Ora in early January on Hoeta's behalf that the housing agency realised it had failed to follow up on Hoeta's repeated calls for help.
Kāinga Ora Northland/Whangārei area manager Linda Barrie confirmed the process of fixing Hoeta's fence had been started - but was not followed through due to a change of ownership of an adjoining property, Covid-19, a Kāinga Ora employee resigning and a reshape of the whole organisation's structure.
However, she was quick to apologise on behalf of the housing agency, acknowledging that no reason excused such a delay.
"I've personally apologised to Adele for the delay in the rear fence and will follow this up in writing," Barrie said.
"There was fencing but while we don't know when he gained the ability to try and get over the existing fence into the neighbour's property, that doesn't matter. We should have got that new, higher fence built when Adele first asked us."
![Kāinga Ora Northland/Whangārei area manager Linda Barrie. Photo / Adam Pearse](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/T2DWAATURQ3IHGNUIZSMCCLPTA.jpg?auth=7353b6543148239869e5b5386ce4428fef1fd8c658e8cd9c39be93f08ae50bc5&width=16&height=22&quality=70&smart=true)
A new fence would be installed in the coming weeks, alongside measures outlined in the agency's Driveway Safety programme, such as a fenced play area separate from the driveway that was visible and accessible from living areas.
"Kāinga Ora is working with Adele and her whānau to make an even more secure property for them," Barrie said.
"This will include keeping her son much safer but also take into account the family's younger children as they get older."
Hoeta said she appreciated the apology, given the stress the ordeal had caused.
"I think [Kāinga Ora] know they blundered up quite bad," she said.
"It's the fact that she's apologised and said, 'it did slip the radar, we are sorry' ... that's all I asked her, for them to communicate with me."
As a busy mother of four, Hoeta said having a secure fence and driveway would be a great relief.
"It's more that someone's actually doing something and it hasn't been brushed under the carpet now."
Hoeta advised anyone in a similar position against staying quiet and encouraged them to keep fighting for the safety of their whānau.
"I'm the voice for my children and if my voice doesn't get heard, of course I'm going to jump up and down."