Bennett: I'm committed to helping Rotorua's vulnerable

Minister for Social Housing Paula Bennett. Photo/File

I WAS surprised to see Tamati Coffey (Opinion August 27) suggest the Government wasn't taking homelessness seriously or didn't have a plan.

He gave you a lot of negativity about Rotorua and New Zealand, and I'm thankful for the chance to respond and talk about our housing plan.

Mr Coffey didn't talk about how your city is actually booming.

I visit Rotorua a lot, and I honestly can't think of a time I've seen the place humming more. No wonder more people want to live, work and play there-it's such a beautiful and unique part of our country.

That's not to say there aren't some people who are struggling or have fallen on hard times. Homelessness is an issue we absolutely take seriously and we have a comprehensive plan that is housing more people.

I want to share details about some of this work.

One of the first things I did when I took on the Social Housing portfolio at the start of last year was review the way we support homeless people, from the funding through to the challenges that prevent people from staying housed.

This review underpins our housing plan and we are busy acting on its finding, and it's why I think an inquiry by Labour and the Greens is actually a step backwards. More talking by politicians is literally the last thing that will help our homeless.

This Government is focused on action.

Obviously the most important thing is growing the supply of social housing where there is the most demand. That's why Housing New Zealand is spending billions building thousands of new homes.

Our comprehensive plan to house more people also includes help for thosewho need a home urgently. This year we committed over $41 million in new funding for emergency housing. Too many organisations were struggling to keep the lights on, so we are the first government ever to commit dedicated, ongoing funding for existing and new beds.

Officials are currently finalising contracts with providers in Rotorua so you will see more local support.

We've also committed a further $9 million for a couple of initiatives that I think are particularly exciting. One is the internationally proven "Housing First" approach, where the chronically homeless bypass emergency housing and are given a permanent house with intensive wraparound support addressing their underlying issues.

The other initiative helps people who are already housed but are at real risk of becoming homeless, and people who are about to be housed but are likely to struggle to live independently.

In both cases it's about helping people do those things we take for granted, like paying bills or being a good neighbour, and giving them the skills to sustain that independence.

If our plan sounds a bit like we're putting an ambulance at the top and bottom of the cliff, you're right.

Because here's the other thing Mr Coffey didn't talk about-homeless people, like all of us, are incredibly complex. There is an immense amount of support available for people from the Government, and we genuinely do want to help. But vulnerable people don't always ask because they believe we can't help, they might owe us money, or even because of pride.

My simple message is, no matter your circumstances if you need help, please contact the Ministry of Social Development.

Our absolute focus is on getting people into temporary housing, moving them into permanent housing, and helping them to stay housed. What I've described is just a small part of our housing plan, and there's always more to do.

I'm as committed as ever to helping vulnerable people in Rotorua and across New Zealand.

- Paula Bennett is the Minister for Social Housing