WEBVTT - Bernie Smith: Former Monte Cecilia Housing Trust CEO on Kāinga Ora's 63 tenancy terminations in the past 10 months

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<v Speaker 1>You're listening to a podcast from News Talks be follow

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<v Speaker 2>Right now, the government's patting itself on the back for

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<v Speaker 2>successfully cracking down on abusive kaying or A tenants. It's

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<v Speaker 2>seen sixty three tendancies terminated in the past ten months.

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<v Speaker 2>That's up from eleven the year before. Action over complaints

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<v Speaker 2>is happening five times faster. The number of former warnings

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<v Speaker 2>being issued has gone up six hundred percent. So I'm

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<v Speaker 2>joined now by the former CEO of the Monte Cecilia

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<v Speaker 2>Housing Trust, Bernie Smith Community Bernie.

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<v Speaker 3>Good Morning, Angry so.

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<v Speaker 2>Caig Aura has one hundred and ninety thousand clients and

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<v Speaker 2>in the past ten months there have only been sixty

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<v Speaker 2>three terminations. The year before eleven and the year before

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<v Speaker 2>that just two. So is this an issue that has

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<v Speaker 2>been over egged? Oh?

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<v Speaker 3>I don't think so. It's gone from bad duarius in

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<v Speaker 3>the sense of a previous government believing that no one

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<v Speaker 3>should be exited from their home behavior, no matter the damage,

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<v Speaker 3>and this government is endeavoring to put it right. So

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<v Speaker 3>that's why the stats are looking so high.

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<v Speaker 2>Do we assume that state housing tends need to be

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<v Speaker 2>complained about.

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<v Speaker 3>No, we don't, And sadly, we've got a little bit

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<v Speaker 3>of a nimbiism occurring in some communities where people feel

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<v Speaker 3>that they should be complained about when they're jolly good tenants.

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<v Speaker 2>So the numbers now are bigger than they've ever been,

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<v Speaker 2>and it is a six hundred percent increase in formal warnings.

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<v Speaker 2>Does that indicate that they're being given out for lesser

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<v Speaker 2>issues than we did in the past.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't think so. I think, sadly, Andrew, for some

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<v Speaker 3>tenants they don't understand or know what good behavior is

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<v Speaker 3>because of how they've been raised in their families, and

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<v Speaker 3>so the wrap around service actually assists tenants to know

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<v Speaker 3>what good behavior is and hopefully this will begin to

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<v Speaker 3>create generational.

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<v Speaker 2>Change all right now, The fear that is often promoted

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<v Speaker 2>by people who don't like it when the government comes

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<v Speaker 2>down tough on canga or a tenants is that they

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<v Speaker 2>don't know where they're going to go. They fear that

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<v Speaker 2>these tenants being thrown out will end out homeless, maybe

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<v Speaker 2>sleeping rough. Is there a link between eviction from canger

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<v Speaker 2>or a house and homelessness?

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<v Speaker 3>Oh, this certainly is a link. I think there's some tenants,

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<v Speaker 3>no matter how much support you put in, no matter

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<v Speaker 3>how long the journey is that you walk with them

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<v Speaker 3>to try and support them to correct things. They just

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<v Speaker 3>have a chip on their shoulder and there's no choice

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<v Speaker 3>but to act. The sad part for me is that

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<v Speaker 3>children are involved and it's often the children's folded all.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, Bertie, thank you so much for getting up for

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<v Speaker 2>us this morning, on this holiday. And this is Bertie Smith,

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<v Speaker 2>the former CEO of the Monty Cecilia Housing Trust.

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