New Zealand’s working homeless

23/04/2013 9:31:50 a.m.

Margaret Brake wrote:

Hello Campbell Live
After watching the NZ homeless people living on the streets in Australia last night, I feel along with so many others that we must do something to help these desperate people. Not to take a attitude that they got themselves into this situation, so therefore it 'isn't' my problem. It doesn't look good for Australia & NZ to have this dilemma - and it can happen very quickly to any of us!! If we can pass a Gay Marriage Bill & have the rest of the world thinking we are a caring nation, then we can reach out to those that need (in my opinion) far more assistance & understanding. Come on NZ lets band together & bring these people home!!!

8/02/2013 11:11:41 a.m.

One of the lucky ones wrote:

$500.00 a week sounds alot but take into account the cost of food seems to have doubled and it does not go far. I am a single working mum fortunate to have a good job and a home to live in but half my wages go on rent each week. It took me 3 months to save up for my daughters new glasses. By the time you pay the rent and the utilities there is not alot left. Still I feel like I am one of the lucky ones.
What makes me cross is single people living in State houses working full time paying half the rent that I do yet earning more then I am.I personally know of at least three people in this situation and when I see people like Richard and his family struggling it makes me crosser. Yes these people needed these houses when they had families to support but now that there families are grown move over and let someone else that needs it more enjoy a bit of relief. These people are just greedy.
One person I know is earning over $1000 dollars a week and yet only has to pay $90.00 a week for their rent.
Probably because they have not declared they are working. Once caught they will have to pay it back at 10.00 a week maybe and no interest. Hardly seems fair to me.
They get away with it becasue Housing New Zealand let them.
I always thought state houses were for those that were struggling. Its not right to have a single person working full time have a 3 bedroom house to themesleves when there are families out there that need it more. I am sure this is not a issue in christchurch alone. I struggled to find accomodation due to the fact that I have a dog. Havent the people of christchurch suffered enough. My dog is part of my family and has been a great comfort through the tough times asking me to part with my dog would be like asking me to cut off one of my limbs. Personally I would rather live in my car if I was forced to make a choice. Not all dog owners are irresponsible and its unfair to judge a person because they love animals.

7/02/2013 10:42:15 a.m.

Angela wrote:

I don't understand why anyone would sleep in their car when they are earning $500.00 a week. Why wouldn't they get a tent & stay in a camping ground, or as some people have where I am, rent a caravan if you can't afford to buy one. I suffered major house damage in the Earth Quakes & would still be waiting for a decision to be made between EQC & my Insurance Company who can't agree, but I sold my share of my house to someone who obviously is more patient than me & I bought a caravan & am now living very happily in a Camping Ground:) It cost's me 120 a week + power, which works out very cheep if you utilise the amenities at the Camp Ground & when those nasty after shocks come, the van just rocks gently & I can guarantee it wont fall in on me or crack apart!!! Sadly we must help ourselves as no one else will, not even those Insurance Company's who have been taking our $ for years just in case something like this happens & then where are they when it does happen??? There are some wonderful people out there who are helping, & that is fabulous but sadly the ones taking advantage far out number the helpers:(

6/02/2013 10:08:31 p.m.

ex Dunedinite wrote:

Hi Shane, I would just like to say I sincerely hope that was not a dig at my offer to help as I was also in the quakes I have been in Christchurch since 2003 I like a lot of people lost my power, water for over a week as well as items in my rented house thankfully the house I am in had no major damage however I had to work in ridiculously dangerous conditions with 7 metre high racking that was hardly standing let alone bolted to the ground, we were working in the Feb quake where we had half of the racking in the warehouse loaded with 1 tonne pallets of chemicals come down again as they did in the first quake which we had just cleaned up. Thankfully no one was hurt although our manager almost lost his life in that racking he only just made it out of the warehouse as it followed him to the door, I had major chemical poising all over my face yet no one would step in ie: Acc kept denying my claims for compensation as the boss would not answer their questions, even though my doctor & the state my face proved it, that was until I threatened to get the media involved & then they only paid the doctors bills, Dept of labour (what a joke) said all they could do was hold a mediation meeting but even then they could not make the boss do anything so anyone I thought could help refused to & why did we work because we also had to survive & it was work or lose your job I have since left that work place, but my rent has now been raised twice in 6 months & i am just starting to get back on my feet hence the need to charge board I feel for the people that lost their homes & are still homeless but just remember pretty much everyone who lived in Christchurch suffered through the quakes & are still paying in one way or another I just thank my lucky stars I am still alive as I was trapped in that second quake & yes you are right the government has let everyone down these departments are useless when you need them. But your comment no one would be there for no one? Realistically you have to help yourself get back up before you are any good to anyone else.

6/02/2013 1:44:08 p.m.

Shane wrote:

I too am out of house and bought a bus cause i could see that no-one ! would be there for any one ! so i moved my bus a few times to finally get into a camping ground and found out that that too is being closed down . All i want to know where has the kiwi spirit gone where everyone helped one another !! or do we only know how to help when it comes to money ? you can`t have a city without people and to have people you Need !!! housing !! I guess goverment need to go back to kindy-garton to come back too who and what got them where they are today !!! or is it true that we have a council to make our goverment look good ?? I have only two questions ?? How would other citys cope what we been through in Christchurch !! and who is going to be there for them ?? or is it the city first before the people ??

6/02/2013 2:17:59 a.m.

Charlie wrote:

This is why 6 months ago my husband and I moved to Perth. Since getting to Perth my husband has his own business and I have a full time job we found work in Perth within 8 days of arriving. We are now helping another friend from Christchurch start a new life in Perth. I can't wait to get as many people out of Christchurch as possible.

5/02/2013 10:48:06 p.m.

Ex Dunedinite wrote:

I have a spare room available in Addington (which is fully furnished with Q bed, drawers etc) If Thomas is interested in either a boarding or flatmate situation $ negotiable as I am renting but will make it as cheap as possible, other than my dog (friendly) I live alone & also work full time, keep a clean tidy house & I am also from Dunedin. I would be more than happy to take Thomas in if he is interested. If Richard or Thomas can contact me through my email address provided I will then pass on my phone number/contact details to discuss the matter. I am sorry I can't help you Richard & family its such a shame to see people being tossed out of there housing at such a terrible time especially when it involves families. Good luck Richard I wish you & your family all the best.

5/02/2013 9:44:59 p.m.

Cecil wrote:

Andrea hits in on the head, $150 a week gets you a pretty good room in a flat. A man earning $500 a week and living in his car is making a lifestyle choice.

5/02/2013 2:55:12 p.m.

Kathryn wrote:

The job I am in involves working with these disenfranchised NZ citizens. The situation is only going to get worse especially with the winter not to far away. I have sometimes thought of comparisons to the second war world ie: towns like Coventry and Cologne which were literally bombed to the ground such was the devastation. The populations were housed in emergency shelters such as Nissen huts. Why the hell that that not happen here? Cheap but effective means of housing are out there if the government/council would only allow it and fund it. Seems we help people in overseas disasters rather than our own first.

5/02/2013 1:11:17 p.m.

Pete wrote:

Given that greedy landlords are throwing women and children onto the streets to get more money for their squalid rental properties, isn't it time they lost their tax breaks. The man interviewed on your programme last night pays tax. The government then gives this tax to landlords. How is this right?