IN THE week that journalists were voted the least trusted profession, they managed to fight back with a few hits, most notably turning the blowtorch on Housing New Zealand in the wake of the death of 2-year-old Emma-Lita Bourne.
Coroner Brand Shortland set the ball rolling, stating the toddler's state
house was "unhealthy" - cold and damp - and that it had contributed to her death from a respiratory infection.
After that, the mould started to come out of the woodwork, with a succession of stories about people living in similarly unhealthy homes, courtesy of the state's official housing provider - including one about Soesa Tovo, who had heart and lung problems, and died in a cold, damp state house despite repeated pleas from his family to be moved.
The stories made shameful reading and were enough to have the Government scrambling to find some heating, some insulation and a quick fix.
Two years ago, the Government tested a housing warrant of fitness initiative on state houses.
