Latest news with #OtagoHousingAlliance
Otago Daily Times
07-08-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Backing urged for holiday park housing
A Dunedin city councillor is putting Aaron Lodge back on the agenda, urging the government to reconsider its stance and back the former holiday park for use as community accommodation. Cr Mandy Mayhem says the former Aaron Lodge Holiday Park, in Kaikorai Valley, would be "ideal" to provide housing for the city's homeless population. Last year, Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich pitched the disused site, owned by Kāinga Ora but up for sale, as a possible temporary housing complex for homeless people. Housing Minister Chris Bishop rejected the idea as the building lacked services required for those complex needs, although the council was welcome to continue assessment work, at its own cost. At Tuesday's council meeting, elected officials will consider Cr Mayhem's motion which requests the mayor write to Mr Bishop asking the government to reconsider the decision and "allow" the property to be used for accommodation. On-site yesterday, Cr Mayhem, who is running for mayor and council this election, said sending a letter to the government was the least the council could do. "We have an obligation to all of our residents to make sure they're safe, they're warm and they've got a roof over their heads," she said. "The government has that obligation to the whole nation." Mr Radich's proposal was a good idea; the lodge needed a "bit of paint and a tidy-up" and it was a shame the minister did not see a need for the accommodation in Dunedin, she said. "I certainly remember a time in my life as a young mum on the [Domestic Purposes Benefit] when I was one bill payment away from homelessness," Cr Mayhem said. "It could be anybody right now in this current cost-of-living crisis." Cr Mayhem said she lodged her motion after members of a housing hui held on Monday decided to write to Mr Bishop in support of accommodation at Aaron Lodge. Otago Housing Alliance leader and former Dunedin mayor Aaron Hawkins said it was important the government be reminded of Dunedin's needs, as it clearly was not a priority. However, the council also had a role to play — its decision earlier this year not to move ahead with planned expansion of Dunedin's community housing programme did not help matters, Mr Hawkins said. "There is clearly growing support in our community for their representatives to do more to help — that means more advocacy, yes, but also more action." Mr Radich said the council had "nothing to lose" by writing the letter and he would support the motion. "At the core of the issue" was government policy which did not appear to support emergency housing, he said. "It's a matter of having a partnership with government to do it," Mr Radich said. "It's not as simple as it might appear, but there's no harm in trying and I'm happy to have another go." The property was bought by Kāinga Ora for more than $4 million about four years ago. It has been on the market since January.
Otago Daily Times
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Comments on homeless people spark feud
A Dunedin sports leader has hit back after a former mayor accused him of "punching down" against the city's homeless. Former Dunedin mayor and Otago Housing Alliance leader Aaron Hawkins made the accusations after Southern Football chief executive Dougal McGowan told the Otago Daily Times action was needed to address homeless people camping at the Oval. Mr McGowan said he and a group of people from Southern Football went to the Oval every weekend to clean up the grounds and the changing rooms before children arrived to play sports. The group picked up a variety of rubbish, including soiled clothing, needles and broken glass. In a Facebook response yesterday, Mr Hawkins said he was embarrassed at the comments. "As a fee paying member of its junior leagues, it's embarrassing to see Southern Football's leadership continue to punch down on our city's homeless whānau," he said. "If there were simple solutions we'd already have implemented them by now. "We now have a co-ordinated approach among local agencies, which is critical to getting a better understanding of the issue." Mr McGowan said "clearly" his comments were not an attack on Dunedin's homeless people, who were camped in a "river of water" during Saturday's rain. "We're just there trying to support those people ... all we're interested in [is] that they're safe, that our families are safe," he said. "This is not a beat up on those people because those people are the victims in this. The Dunedin Night Shelter did "amazing" work; it was institutions like the city, government and local MPs which had let down those living at the Oval, he said. "We can see by the comments from those in positions of power that they started blaming each other again and again, rather than doing something." "The issue has been going on for two years down there, but longer for the city. "Aaron is just another example of a politician getting sound-bites without producing results but blaming others." Mr Hawkins and any city leaders were welcome to join in collecting rubbish at the Oval on Saturday mornings, he said. When approached by the ODT, Mr Hawkins said it was frustrating seeing community leaders talk about "homeless whānau as an inconvenience to be gotten rid of". "It's not clear what Mr McGowan thinks the solution is. What does he want to happen? Have people trespassed from public grounds?" Southern Football were welcome to join Otago Housing Alliance — a collective impact network to help address critical housing needs, Mr Hawkins said. "I've already invited Dougal to attend the next of our regular hui."
