Aaron Houghton loves his car, but would prefer a home. Homeless. PHOTO/Stephen Parker
Aaron Houghton loves his car, but would prefer a home. Homeless. PHOTO/Stephen Parker
Whose responsibility is it to make sure people have a roof over their heads?
Many people - including Te Ururoa Flavell and Monty Morrison - think it's the Government's. I agree.
While individuals have a personal responsibility to help themselves and their families, ultimately, our government is responsible for ensuringcitizens have a basic standard of living.
New Zealand is not a third-world country and people living in cars and on the streets, and crushed into garages should never become an accepted part of life.
But even if we all agree the Government needs to do more, does that mean others shouldn't step in to fill the breach in the meantime?
Today we report Apumoana Marae is keen to offer sanctuary to a local family, as its way of helping look after its community.
Marae spokesman Eraia Kiel said, in the past, the marae was a place for the less fortunate to take shelter.
It is willing, and apparently able, to help at least one family at a time - which may be a drop in the ocean when looking at the problem as a whole but could mean the world to that family.
