Eviction looks likely as family fight to keep state house

Housing New Zealand will begin eviction procedures if a Panmure family do not move out of a state house today.

Olivia Maana, the 19-year-old daughter of Kopu Maana, who died last month, wants to stay in the Dunkirk Rd state house in which her family has lived for 32 years.

The Herald understands Olivia, her cousin Vanessa, 25, and their two children are staying in the house.

Ms Maana believes her family have a right to stay at the property because they have lived there for so long, and other family members say they have an emotional attachment to the house.

The afterbirths of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Mr Maana Maiti are buried under trees and around the house.

But Housing New Zealand has refused Ms Maana's pleas, saying other families with children in more need should tenant the home.

Housing Minister Chris Carter said the occupation was illegal and a letter telling the family to leave was sent to to them on Wednesday.

Housing New Zealand spokeswoman Kathryn O'Sullivan said that if the family did not move out, police would be called to evict them after a possession order had been ordered by the Housing Tribunal.

But she hoped the dispute "doesn't go there" A two-bedroom house near the Dunkirk Road home had been arranged for Ms Maana.

"We have made a lot of effort to try to resolve this issue, but at the end of the day we need to house a family in need."

"We are not going to be putting a woman and a child into a three-bedroom home."

Doris Roi, a cousin to Ms Maana, said the family were devastated by the decision.

The family had said there were other instances of sparsely populated homes in their area that were going unpunished by Housing New Zealand.

Family and supporters would probably gather at the house today and it was unclear whether they would go quietly.

"We don't want to move but Chris Carter has said to his people that he wants us out of the house."