The Premium Debate: Subscriber opinions on Rotorua mayor's emergency housing letters

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick has defended her stance on the emergency housing issue. Photo / NZME

OPINION

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick has hit back at criticism she hasn't been publicly vocal enough about Rotorua's homeless plight, saying "grandstanding gets you nowhere". Letters signed by Chadwick and iwi leader Monty Morrison to a Government minister, revealed under the Official Information Act, show the local council's frustration over some emergency housing in motels.

Read the full story: 'Grandstanding gets you nowhere': Mayor defends homeless stance

Before this Government went on its landlord crusade, the vast majority of the emergency housing register were living somewhere. My dad (retired pensioner) has 2x 2-bedroom units at the back of his [Waikato] property: clean and tidy, Warm and sunny outlook, never had mould. The two single mums he had had for a six to seven-year period loved living there - rent was cheap, their kids were in sports teams and to the local schools. But then my dad got the bill to make it "healthy home standard". He can't get a loan to get it to standard because he's a pensioner. So he had to get rid of the single mums (one of whom I believe ended up in Rotorua). My story is a sample of one but I'm sure this has played out many times over throughout NZ.
- Jan W

At what point does "emergency housing" become plain "housing"?
You reap what you sow and nothing good will come from bringing up children in motels.
- John W

Definitely giving Rotorua a miss. Don't want to go on holiday where you run the risk of being assaulted. What I don't understand is why the council refuses to enforce their own district plan. Then why bother to have a plan in the first place. It undermines the law because the message it sends out is that powerful people (ie. Govt / ministry) can just ignore the rules and the council is too afraid to do anything about it. Apparently rules are only for the little or poor people to follow. Sad but that's the reality of NZ today.
- Justin D

We had several lovely stays in Rotorua in previous years. We currently don't consider going again. This Government has recklessly "slummarised" this wonderful town, with it's previously wonderful tourist attractions. No thought given to the residents and businesses. It will take at least several years to repair the damage done.
- Alexander G

My wife being from Rotorua, we used to visit the city three or four times a year. Now we bypass and wouldn't even entertain the idea of staying in a motel in Rotorua.
- Bruce M

From one of the top tourist destinations to a place that's off the list for most domestic tourists. Live example of how ideology-driven city mayor converted its business from tourism to hosting homeless (not all were undeserving, but rise in crime says quite many). City will pay the price for long time to come, its lost lucrative value-added tourist market to something which should have been managed locally in each city where it originated. Feel sorry for those businesses that invested in Rotorua and now losing customers.
- Roy K

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- Republished comments may be edited at the editor's discretion.