The Premium Debate: On emergency housing motels, a stranger's gift and a sector in crisis

The former Boulevard Motel on Fenton St was granted a resource consent without public notification. Photo / Andrew Warner

OPINION

Residents fighting controversial emergency housing motels in Rotorua say they have had a "big win", with the Government now requesting their consenting process be open to the public.

Where did all these 'homeless' come from? They are not all from Rotorua, that's for certain. Rotorua is a 'dumping' ground, it's obvious.
Bevan M

'Democracy' and 'done in secret' is a large dichotomy.
Kathryn M

In the meantime, all unconsented motels should be emptied of the homeless on a sinking lid basis.
Peter J

It's ironic, really, when councils are allowing motel-like intensification all over NZ under a non-notified basis. Many of the developments have more than 80 residents and many are state tenants - they still see no problem in allowing so many people to be crammed into a small area. They don't care about adjacent residents having some quiet enjoyment of their homes either. Good luck, Rotorua, with trying to get the council to see sense.
John W

The good news is that both local and central government have a great track record of listening to the public, so you can expect plenty of change in the immediate future.
Anaru M

A stranger's gift

Troy Watson's week has been made after a stranger gifted him some money after reading about his battle with cystic fibrosis, and to access a drug that could make it a manageable disease.

I don't understand why this drug is not funded, particularly as it has clear clinical improvements. Surely the cost of the hospital stays and treatment outweighs the cost of the drug. Fingers crossed this will change with the increased funding.
Mags R

That is great, but why do private citizens have to support patients for this when our own government is shirking its responsibilities??
Graham W

***
The nationwide labour crunch has hit the Bay of Plenty's retirement sector, and one lifestyle village leader says staffing is an "absolute crisis".

Has the Government's priority been legislating for euthanasia, rather than funding aged care, and prioritising and funding palliative care? The lack of nurses in aged care has been at crisis level while the health sector has been in the throes of restructuring. Will there be any improvement for aged care, now that there are even more layers of bureaucracy in health?
Sara M

Pay a decent wage by reducing obscene profit margins.
Terry O

Having had parents in aged care, I have seen a huge decline in foreign workers over the last two years as they could not get into NZ or were sent home as their visas had expired. These staff looked after clients as if they were their own family as this was how their culture had brought them up. Wages were increased for care workers, rest home costs therefore increased, higher costs were put onto clients (or family if not funded) and there were staff reductions due to ongoing costs for facilities. Now we are seeing the results.
Mike B

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