1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,080 Speaker 1: The rent crackdown is coming from House in New Zealand. 2 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: There's to be a new twelve week max on areas. 3 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: There's a lot of debt having to be written off unfortunately. 4 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: Associate Housing Minister Toma potakers with us. Good morning to. 5 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 2: You, Thank you, gottle mate. 6 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: Any sense of how much of the areas is genuine trouble. 7 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:17,080 Speaker 1: In other words, something happened to Macarma washing machine and 8 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: I'm now in trouble versus people that simply don't pay rent. 9 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, I can't tay you percentages, but there's a lot 10 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 2: of it, especially with some of the cost of living 11 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 2: challenges we've got as a country. 12 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: The previous administration is this how we get to write 13 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: off debt? Did they simply go if you didn't pay 14 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: your rent, don't worry about it? 15 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 2: Oh? How I describe it as that it was a 16 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 2: little bit loose and didn't do the Mahey, we had 17 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 2: one million bills and debt in twenty seventeen, it went 18 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 2: up to twenty one million in rent debt. It's back 19 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 2: down to sixteen and now the current order board has 20 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 2: taken some pragmatic decisions to get moving on some of 21 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 2: that too. 22 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: Have they taken some pragmatic decisions under your instruction. 23 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 2: Yes, under the government's encouragement, but it's an operational matter. 24 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 2: We respect it. But what we want to see is 25 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 2: that deep level dropping. And there has been some moves 26 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 2: in the last twelve months. It's gone from twenty one 27 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 2: to sixteen, but we think that it's important for tenants 28 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 2: to do them. If they need some total or some support, 29 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 2: KO will support them. But if they're not abiding by 30 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:20,839 Speaker 2: the rules and kind of order needs to take action. 31 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: Is the twenty one down to sixteen the low hanging fruit. 32 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: In other words, it gets a bit harder from here. 33 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 2: I think that's a fair description. But there are many, 34 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: many tenants who have had some challenges. They've got more 35 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 2: than twelve weeks sept but they are pain and being 36 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 2: very reasonable, and I think it's important for current order 37 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 2: to be reasonable as well. 38 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 1: The socially awkward question, and you got a bit of 39 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: it in the house yesterday with the homeless, is where 40 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 1: do they go? Wonder you boot them out? They don't 41 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: pay the rent, you boot them out, Where do they go? 42 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 2: Well? Kind of order will work with people to connect 43 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 2: with others in the space, in the housing space, whether 44 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 2: or not that's worth the likes of the Salvation Army 45 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 2: or others. So it's not just breading out sea later. 46 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 2: But hey, here, we're going to help you get on 47 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 2: a bit of the winnsil program. If you still can't 48 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:05,559 Speaker 2: the love. If you still can't do that, let's connect 49 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 2: with others that can help you get into a better space. 50 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: I asked this question. I don't know if there is 51 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: an answer. How big is the social housing problem in 52 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: this country? And by that I mean when does it end? 53 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 1: When do you stop building houses? What percentage of the 54 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: population will forever need some sort of help? And are 55 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 1: we outlies in this? In other words, are we a 56 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: nation of people who just need too much government help? 57 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 2: Well, I think we need to make sure that the 58 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 2: government's got the housing system, that's building and construction and 59 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 2: infrastructure and zoning all in the right place so private 60 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,119 Speaker 2: developers can come in and actually build houses. I think 61 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: to your question, we do have less social housing as 62 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 2: a percentage of total housing compared to some other countries. Good, 63 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 2: But what we need to make sure is that those 64 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 2: who are private developers can actually build houses because they 65 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: put most sales. If the government takes over that market 66 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 2: at all skews and things go crazy like they did. 67 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 2: I suppose and arts your question, Mike, there is a 68 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 2: core group of people that we definitely need to provide 69 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 2: some support for them, some social alsing and others. We 70 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 2: need to sort of help transition out of that dependency 71 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 2: or that need for social aizing and something better to 72 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:17,239 Speaker 2: do that. We also need to ensure we've got jobs 73 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 2: and businesses humming. 74 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 1: Congratulations on your press ups. Those press ups? How many 75 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: of them? The ones where you leave the ground and clap? 76 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:26,839 Speaker 1: How many can you do? Oh? 77 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, might be seady in a right, but look, I'm 78 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 2: just try to get healthy, Michael. Yeah, I'm just trying 79 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 2: to keep fut and healthy. Yes, you are just trying 80 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 2: to keep that. 81 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: You are a machine. Well done. Congratulations on that. If 82 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: you haven't seen the video, look it up. I'm sure 83 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: it's gone viral as they say. But the guy does 84 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: press ups while you know, clapping in between. If he 85 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 1: can do thirty of those, that is one fit individual. 86 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: Timer Potacher. 87 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 2: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 88 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 2: news talks that'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 89 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.