18 March 2021
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Rotorua MP's public meeting on community safety
Enquiry
Could I please ask the mayor:
Why did she not attend the public meeting organised by Todd McClay at Arawa Bowling Club on Monday evening?
Where was she instead?
Subsequent from reporter:
A follow up question -
On RNZ you [Mayor Chadwick] said:
"I didn't go [to the meeting] because I had phoned Todd before and we both agreed that I would then be put on the spot and under the pressure from the community to answer aspects of, probably, government business, and that it was better that he led a meeting and then comes to me once he's diluted down ... the key messages from the meeting."
Also, Todd told me:
"Steve phoned me and told me she wasn't coming. I agreed it would be a very difficult meeting for her and the council because there was a lot of anger from the community, and it was probably a good idea she didn't attend."
Do you have anything to add or modify to what you have already supplied me?
Did you also give your apologies for the original meeting (before it was rescheduled)?
And will you attend a future meeting if one is organised? Todd says he is likely to do so.
Response
From Mayor Steve Chadwick:
When I found out about the meeting I contacted Todd and put in my apologies. That night I was at a vigil for a friend who had died and whose funeral I was unable to attend.
I look forward to meeting with Todd to discuss what comes out of the meeting and how it plugs in to what we are already doing.
We have been very aware of the community's concerns relating to the use of motels for emergency accommodation and we share those concerns.
As I have said previously, we do not want Rotorua becoming the dumping ground for New Zealand's homeless and motels can absolutely not be a medium or long-term solution to our housing issues.
As I said following Todd's meeting, the current situation is untenable and we are especially concerned about the more than 380 children currently living in motels. These are not appropriate environments for children, regardless of where they come from.
I continue to have very robust conversations with government agency heads, and with Government ministers who have come back to us to say they support our desire to work with agencies on local solutions. What we need, however, is a directive to compel agencies to do so. The regional approach currently being used is not working for Rotorua and we will keep pushing to get the change we need to lift our district out of this crisis.
Response from Mayor Chadwick to subsequent query:
Yes I did pass on my apologies for the original meeting and Todd and I did also discuss that if I were to attend, the meeting could well become focused on the mayor and/or Council rather than what he intended, which was to hear the community's concerns. We agreed it was better he have his meeting, as intended, and we then meet to enable him to share and discuss what came out of it.
Re potential future meeting: I will consider that after I've met with Todd following this week's meeting.
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Media: Maori TV
Topic: Rotorua MP's public meeting on community safety
Enquiry
Reporter sought interview or if not possible statement from the Mayor regarding this week's public meeting organised by Rotorua MP Todd McClay regarding homeless in motels and community safety.
Questions:
1) Are there homelessness being encouraged or supported to coming from outside of Rotorua and seeking accommodation in Rotorua?
2) What is Rotorua Lakes Councils stance on weather or not question one is or is not occuring?
3) There was a mass gathering of Rotorua Community on Tuesday evening facilitated by National MP Todd Mclay, This part of the community do not want outside homelessness arriving to Rotorua and asking for accommodation assistance, what can Council do about this?
4) What can Council do to lower the violence, crime and look on Fenton Street which nearby locals are upset about. Theft and intimidation have been at the forefront of this group of communities worries?
5) Tiny Dean has been targeted as a major cause to bringing in outside homlessness for business, does Council have a good relationship with 'Visions of a Helping Hand'?
Response
Mayor Chadwick was unable to do the interview in the timeframe requested but the following comment and information was provided:
From Mayor Steve Chadwick:
We continue to advocate strongly for solutions that do not include use of motels as emergency accommodation. This situation has been a major concern for myself, Council and our community for some time and we continue to have very robust conversations with Central Government agencies and Government Ministers to lobby for action and solutions.
While we know there are people who have come to Rotorua from outside of the district - and that certainly adds to the situation - we have repeatedly been assured by MSD that they are not encouraging or sending people here from elsewhere.
Council has no powers to prevent people from coming to Rotorua if they choose but we have been very clear with Central Government ministers and agencies that we do not want Rotorua becoming the 'dumping ground' for New Zealand's homeless.
Of major concern is the nearly 400 children currently living in our motels. Regardless of where they come from, that is totally unacceptable and needs to change quickly.
We are doing all we can to rectify the situation and we continue to lobby Central Government for urgent action and for agencies to work together and with us on localised - as opposed to regional - solutions. We need a Government directive to compel its agencies in this direction and we will keep pushing for the change in policy and approach that we need to enable us to find the right solutions.
We want more houses and we want them fast. We are working with agencies who are partners in our district housing plan but there is no quick fix.
Re community safety: Council is not the police but does have a role in ensuring public spaces are safe for both residents and visitors to enjoy. We already have a joint initiative with the police with a focus on safety patrols and monitoring and sharing of information from our CCTV network in the CBD. Patrols have been extended to Fenton Street and as part of upcoming consultation (in April) on our 2021-31 Long-term Plan we are proposing an additional $500,000 be invested in community safety, including development of a plan that includes extending our CCTV network.
Re Mr Dean: He and his trust work directly with government agencies to whom the trust is contracted.
Additional information provided:
Re MSD say they are not sending/bringing/encouraging people to Rotorua - please get confirmation from MSD itself.
Please see Mayor Chadwick's statement from 16 March (HERE) for more on homelessness and community safety - you are free to use any/all of this.
Below is some information (and links) re the housing plan (He Papakāinga, He Hāpori Taurikura Te Poupou Ruataki) and you may also be interested in the Government's housing plan (Rotorua is a priority area)
Homes and Thriving Communities Strategic Framework (He Papakāinga, He Hāpori Taurikura Te Poupou Ruataki)
Developed in partnership with Te Arawa and Central Government agencies following consultation with community stakeholders in 2019.
Adopted by Council Sept 2020 following consultation on draft.
11 workstreams: community safety; emergency, transitional and social housing; rural and urban papakāinga; thriving communities and locality planning; healthy homes; enabling affordability; infrastructure; creating employment and career pathways.
Framework outlines each workstream, including actions and lead agencies for each.
View the strategic framework at THIS LINK on Council's website.
Government's Public Housing Plan
See Government announcement of its Public Housing Plan HERE
See the Government's Public Housing Plan HERE
See Fact Sheets for priority areas, including Rotorua HERE