Opinion: No quick fix to help homeless

Love Soup Rotorua helps feed Rotorua's homeless and needy every night. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

Tena ano tatou katoa.

It's a fine balancing act being the local MP for Waiariki, co-leader of the Maori Party and a minister while trying to get around the country and spend as much time in Waiariki as possible.

It's a task made even harder when there are only two Maori Party MPs taking on all this mahi for our people.

Marama and I try to spend as much time as we can in other electorates too. We have found road shows are a good way to get around and last week we spent time in the beautiful North.

We visited some awe inspiring places such as CrossFit Whangarei (who wrecked me in a training session), we spent time with the kids at Kaikohe Intermediate, who are all sharp as and who showed us the real practical side of learning like how they manage their own gardens, how to create interesting looks with makeup and how to even fix bikes.

We were pleased to be present in Awanui to announce a putea of $320,000 from the Te Mana o Te Wai fund, which has been given to clean up some of the waterways there.

Lake Wahakari, the Waiparera Wetland and the Rotoroa/Split lakes are very significant to their iwi and hapu who play an important role in improving and restoring waterways.

This is a good example of a collaborative project between the Government who provided some funding, led by community organisations and trusts who are also contributing either financially or with manpower.

It's our view that all waterways, lakes and streams should be drinkable as this is what gives sustenance to us as a people. We are really proud to have established this fund to contribute to projects such as this.

Back home - it was Tauranga's turn to host the hui for public submissions to be heard on the Homelessness inquiry, which is an inquiry initiated by the Maori Party, Labour and the Greens.

The hui was well attended and submissions came from all quarters including from individuals who are homeless; some who were homeless but talked about how they transitioned out of homelessness - through to organisations, agencies and schools who deal with families and individuals in this situation.

Whilst we all know there is not one quick and easy solution to this problem, it's always encouraging to hear other people's solutions and to hear from the community what is being done to help those in need.

To that end, I want to mihi to Gina and Elmer of Love Soup, who are doing some amazing stuff right here at home assisting homeless by not only helping with kai and accommodation needs, but ensuring they have access to services where appropriate.

Love Soup is working alongside Te Arawa Whanau Ora, Te Roopu a Iwi o Te Arawa, Te Puni Kokiri, Te Runanga o Te Arawa Budgeting services, Pam Jones Property Services and Indigenuity Whenua Ltd and other Government agencies to try to ensure that homeless people and whanau here in Rotorua are accessing all their entitlements and being in the best position possible to resolve their housing needs.

We also have Life Wise and the team who have the second Big Sleep Out to raise funds for homeless initiatives, so we are really blessed here to have so many agencies working hard in this space.

Ka nui aku mihi ki a koutou katoa.