Ae Marika! 16 July 2013

Posted on July 15, 2013 by admin in Ae Marika

They say that “a man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client” … Not the greatest recommendation for those who represent themselves in court, but you can guess the saying came from lawyers wanting to protect their pre-eminence in the courts.

As it happens, next week I’m defending myself in the Auckland District Court following charges laid against me during an action taken by families to stop government evicting them from their homes in Glen Innes.

I won’t go into the details here – it’ll all come out in the media anyway. But given that the state is going through with the charges, I intend to use the case to put the housing crisis in Aotearoa under the spotlight.

Over the past few weeks I’ve experienced the housing crisis in places like Pomare down Wellington and Maraenui in Hastings, but I know from the tasksheets I get from my staff and from talking to whanau right here in Kaitaia, in Kaikohe, in Whangarei, on the North Shore and out West Auckland, that poor families are really struggling all over the north as well. Many are doubled up with other whanau, sometimes even 3 families spreading out into the garage. And as you move further out of town the housing get worse. In some places a lot worse.

And as the housing gets worse so too do a lot of the health problems that Dr Lance O’Sullivan is talking about for kids, and during winter particularly, for kaumatua and kuia as well.

I’m talking all the time to people trying to do something about the housing problem, including an email I just got yesterday from one of our whanaunga up in Singapore. The trick of course is to take the good intentions and turn them into good homes.

A few weeks ago I slipped into the signing ceremony for the Social Accord between government and some of the Muriwhenua iwi; a positive step in my humble opinion, if it emboldens iwi to take steps to reduce the poverty they know exists within our communities.

I mention the Accord because the same iwi reps are meeting with the Minister of Social Development, Paula Bennett this week. I had a chat to her about what she wants to do, and while I understand the “tough love” approach I also know you can’t solve poverty by simply stripping assistance away from the poor. I hope iwi reps will not be party to a cut-back approach without a guarantee that any resources are reallocated and controlled by iwi.

I also humbly suggest that after the meeting, iwi reps take a slow drive around Kaitaia to see how many state houses are empty. Then talk to Ricky Houghton about the number of families desperate for somewhere to live. Then ask what can be done to get those families into those homes, because those families need somewhere to live – now.

And then give me a bell. I’m happy to play my part as well … and if I don’t hear from anyone, I’ll ring you!

AE MARIKA is an article written every week by Hone Harawira, leader of the MANA Movement and Member of Parliament for Te Tai Tokerau. You are welcome to use any of the comments and to ascribe them to Mr Harawira. The full range of Hone’s articles can be found on the MANA website at www.mana.net.nz.