Tonight is very cold and raining. A nice night to be inside a warm house. Not a good night to be sleeping on the side of the road.
For the Kāpiti Coast, the primary responsibility for helping a homeless person lies with the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), which is the lead government agency for emergency housing.
KCNews went to the office of MSD in Paraparaumu in April regarding a woman ‘Mary’ who had been sleeping on the side of the road just south of the Elizabeth St rail crossing in Waikanae.
MSD declined to comment at the time, instead referring KCNews to their media team. We received a reply on April 16th from a ‘Lead Media Advisor’ who suggested we get in touch directly with the MSD media team (presumably the team of which she is the Lead Advisor).
On the same day Radio NZ ran with a headline: MSD document says there’s ‘no evidence’ hundreds of New Zealanders are without shelter
KCNews rang the MSD media team who seemed largely disinterested. When the situation was explained to them that a person has been living on the side of the road for many weeks and there was some real danger to her wellbeing the response barely shifted. The MSD Media Team advised they would not answer any questions over the phone and if we wrote to them with questions they would respond.
On May 4 (the same day as the phone call) we wrote to MSD;
As you are aware there has been an elderly woman sleeping rough on the side of the road in Waikanae just south of the rail crossing at Elizabeth St for the last two months.
What are MSD doing to assist this person.
What other agencies are involved.
If a person is homeless in this situation what is the normal course of assistance.
MSD have been aware of this for a considerable time and yet it appears you have done nothing. Why is that.
These seemed like reasonable questions and a response was expected. The MSD Media Team has never responded. Now six weeks later the situation has worsened significantly.
Many residents in Kāpiti have expressed serious concerns for the health and welfare of ‘Mary’ who is still resident on the side of the road in Waikanae in freezing temperatures and significant rainfall.
Kāpiti Council have offered to help several times but ‘Mary’ has declined. Police have said there is very little they can do as no laws are being broken.
In April this year a government document says it is a “narrative” that hundreds of New Zealanders live without shelter, and there is “no evidence” to validate that.
A Ministry of Social Development internal briefing said a plan to support rough sleepers was put together “to support dispelling any myths and ensure those without shelter are not disadvantaged”.
If those whose job it is to sort this out would like some ‘evidence’ a quick visit to Waikanae should help.
As it stands the buck stops with MSD. Perhaps they believe homelessness and rough sleeping are a myth, perhaps they will wait until ‘Mary’ catches pneumonia and is carted off in an ambulance, or perhaps they will do their job.
When a person is able to sleep on the side of the road with no shelter, other than a small plastic cover, in all sorts of weather for many months it is a rank failure. If someone in that situation refuses help but is clearly a danger to themselves and possibly others there may be some difficult decisions to be made to resolve this but those responsible for making them do not appear to be willing or capable.
By KCNews Reporters