FIFY: Bennett too embarrassed to visit marae

Written By: - Date published: 2:58 pm, June 9th, 2016 - 72 comments
Categories: housing, paula bennett, useless - Tags: , ,

bennett too busy

Let’s fix that headline: Bennett too embarrassed to visit marae .

She told reporters at Parliament that the Government was considering giving the marae more funding on top of $10,000 already donated by Te Puni Kokiri.

“I’ve discussed it with officials and we are just going through what that might mean. So I suppose the answer is possible,” she said.

“I’m not sure [how much could be given]. I’ve had some discussion with officials…the Maori Party raised it with me the other night, so I’ve said that I would have a look at it.”

The very least she could do.

“The minister does actually have a very full day tomorrow because it’s her only day in Auckland once a week so she packs a lot in.”

Pretty pathetic as excuses go. But don’t worry Paula, the homeless will still be there next week. And the week after that. And the week after that. And the week after that…

72 comments on “FIFY: Bennett too embarrassed to visit marae ”

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  1. heather Tanguay 1
    9 June 2016 at 3:12 pm

    Of course she is too busy, people will ask her questions, she is unable to answer.
    I hope she is not too busy to continue attending the Public Meeting in Glen Eden, to be held on Monday 13th of June at 6.30pm at the Baptist Church. I am sure there will be plenty of people that will be longing to ask her questions, they will not be accepting of a Yes or No answer.
    Again today in question time, she proved not to be on top of this crisis, her waffle and playing with the answers is not acceptable any more.
    It is winter, people are becoming sick, children are becoming sick, old people are becoming sick. Streets, sheds, vans, cars, garages are not suitable places to live.
    She should hand her head in shame, it is a disgraceful situation.

    • WILD KATIPO 1.1
      10 June 2016 at 12:14 pm

      Here is a link to the U.N’s Articles on the Rights for a Child . There are a few that could possibly looked at in the way this govt is acting.

      http://www.unicef.org.au/Upload/UNICEF/Media/Our%20work/childfriendlycrc.pdf

      Article
      16 Children have the right to privacy. The law
      should protect them from attacks against their
      way of life, their good name, their family and
      their home.

      1) Is living in a van really a home, ? is it really ‘ private, secure ‘ ?

      Article
      23 Children who have any kind of disability
      should receive special care and support so that
      they can live a full and independent life.

      2) We see in the NZ Herald today that a 17 year old has developed a skin ailment ( though not technically a child ) a 9 suffers from epilepsy -suffering 2 more since the family became homeless.

      Article
      24 Children have the right to good quality health
      care, clean water, nutritious food and a clean
      environment so that they will stay healthy.
      Richer countries should help poorer countries
      achieve this.

      3) Living in a van is fine for weekend camping trips, attending rock concerts etc… but permanent family life of 5 plus members?… we are kidding ourselves that sanitary conditions are possible over long extended times. Let alone the stress levels induced by such cramped conditions.

      Article
      26 The Government should provide extra money
      for the children of families in need.

      4) The ad hoc, underfunded funding by a govt who has created these living conditions for so many in the first place demands close scrutiny by the media , public and opposition party’s – and if needs be – by external bodies as well.

      Article
      27 Children have the right to a standard of living
      that is good enough to meet their physical and
      mental needs. The government should help
      families who cannot afford to provide this.

      5) It is now obvious that this govt has abdicated its responsibility’s regarding the above by its conduct and by the policy’s it has pursued.

      Article
      28 Children have the right to an education.
      Discipline in schools should respect children’s
      human dignity. Primary education should be
      free. Wealthier countries should help poorer
      countries achieve this.

      6) We see graphic evidence of the disadvantage’s suffered by those forced to live in poverty – an example of which one child ( TA ) narrowly missed a scholarship by having to live in this unsettled manner. This has the potential to affect the rest of her adult potential .

      Article
      31 Children have the right to relax, play and to
      join in a wide range of leisure activities.

      7) While some may say when away from the living conditions they are under – that the children did pursue ‘ play / leisure activity’s ‘… but being forced to live like this is an abnormality – and does nothing for after school hours. The parents did everything they possibly could to ensure schooling, play , normality etc under the circumstances – whereas the govt did not.

      Article
      42
      Governments should make the Convention
      known to all parents and children.

      8) For obvious reason ( ie : political embarrassment ) this govt has tried to hide the tangible evidence of not only failure – but deliberate pursuing of policy’s that they knew would cause hardship to many New Zealanders – glibly assuming this is the price society must pay for true ‘ free market ‘ policy’s. The social aspects of these policy’s are now self evident and the onus is now on this govt to correct this situation in a timely manner or be stood down to enable proper governmental practices to be implemented.

  2. Sabine 2
    9 June 2016 at 3:21 pm

    of course she is not going to visit the marae.

    that would be hard work, and she is not into hard work. She likes her job to be full of travel, perks, and sexy stuff, like selling state houses.
    Having to affront the victims of the National Parties negligence and ‘can’t be fucked’ attitude is not sexy.

    Mr. Scrooge

    “At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge, … it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.”
    “Are there no prisons?”
    “Plenty of prisons…”
    “And the Union workhouses.” demanded Scrooge. “Are they still in operation?”
    “Both very busy, sir…”
    “Those who are badly off must go there.”
    “Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.”
    “If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”

    • miravox 2.1
      9 June 2016 at 6:51 pm

      She will visit the marae. When the photo op is organised, the people are compliant, they can interview a marae spokesperson who will say thank you nicely for the money and the rolling coverage ends with the most photogenic family collecting a set of house keys for a hastily spruced up state house that had previously been up for sale in a development block.

  3. AsleepWhileWalking 3
    9 June 2016 at 3:31 pm

    This situation is a bit beyond any one minister to handle. At least she (Bennett) is admitting errors.

    • Sabine 3.1
      9 June 2016 at 4:07 pm

      But I agree this situation has gone way past Ms. Bennett, Mr. Nick Smith, Mr. John Key, Mr. Bill English and the whole other lot of the the National Party do nothing Stooges that are currently running this government.

      Let me ask you a question. Is it time for the National Party to ‘let go’ of Ms. Bennett, maybe to spend some time with her Family in her well heated home, with the full fridge and all other nice things of the 21st century. Cause i would agree with you on that one. That women should have never been elevated to the position she is in, she is not even capable of making a decent cup of tea.

    • North 3.2
      9 June 2016 at 5:45 pm

      Another excuse, AsleepWhileTalking ?

      She’s a gutless mongrel and a waste of space. And when she doesn’t front up…….well she’s not admitting errors or accepting responsibility.

    • Kiwiri 3.3
      10 June 2016 at 2:19 pm

      No doubt she will be well rewarded for insulating John Key from the issues.

  4. shorts 4
    9 June 2016 at 3:41 pm

    I’m sure Bennett isn’t embarrassed by anything

  5. fisiani 5
    9 June 2016 at 4:00 pm

    40 houses were built today. More families will be housed in new homes this week than are temporarily at the marae.

    • b waghorn 5.1
      9 June 2016 at 4:05 pm

      How many of those 40 homes will be in reach of a any one /couple on less than $100 k per annum??

      • Ben Clark 5.1.1
        9 June 2016 at 4:55 pm

        In fact, as Mediawatch on RNZ noted at the weekend, it’s more like 38 houses were consented today. Which is likely to result in 37 houses being built.

        How many of those consented are affordable… well that’s likely to be a much smaller number…

        • Colonial Viper 5.1.1.1
          9 June 2016 at 7:15 pm

          And what are we calling “affordable” in Auckland nowadays? $600,000?

    • shorts 5.2
      9 June 2016 at 4:05 pm

      no one said they were affordable houses

      • fisiani 5.2.1
        9 June 2016 at 4:20 pm

        Let me take you through housing step by step and slowly. An expensive house is built. It is purchased by a family who can afford it. Their house is bought by another family. Their house is bought by another family and this process might have 17 more steps. House No 17 in the chain is thus vacant and affordable. Every house that is built thus ultimately frees up one affordable house. How hard is that to understand?

        • mauī 5.2.1.1
          9 June 2016 at 4:39 pm

          This sounds like the trickle down theory… number 32 in the chain will free up their Mazda Bongo wagon for habitation. Yes, this is all what he hoped New Zealand could be!

        • Ben Clark 5.2.1.2
          9 June 2016 at 4:58 pm

          or an expensive house is built. It is purchased by a family who can afford it. A speculator buys their house, and sits on it for a bit waiting for the price to go up. They eventually sell the house to an investor who rents it out and 1 more house is lost from home ownership…

          More houses are good, but more affordable houses are better than more McMansions…

    • Stuart Munro 5.3
      9 June 2016 at 4:08 pm

      You say that a lot – but do you have any solid evidence that it is true? Or are you just quoting unreliable sources like Nick Smith? One clear indication of invention is round numbers 40 – not 37, not 41 – the same every day. When I was with MAF the ships with cooked books always had round numbers – too easy.

      • jcuknz 5.3.1
        9 June 2016 at 4:59 pm

        When I was compiling stats for my supervisor in the public service I trusted round numbers more than fictitious looking non-round numbers coming from those who worked for me. I was also a working supervisor who entered required numbers for the stats.

        • Stuart Munro 5.3.1.1
          9 June 2016 at 5:10 pm

          So – a baseless contradiction.

          The point about rounded numbers is that the real world is not so neat and tidy. 53 houses today – but none yesterday due to heavy rain. If there is no variation it is because human agency has massaged the figures – and massaged figures, like Joyce’s 3000 Whangarei jobs, are often blatant lies.

          What is the basis of this 40 number? Is it an average? Is it forty every day or forty every working day? Is it permits issued or completions signed off? 40 a day as it stands is an unsupported assertion.

    • Sabine 5.4
      9 June 2016 at 4:09 pm

      40 houses were build today?

      Where?
      By whom?
      How many are ‘affordable’?
      How many are ‘social’ housing?
      How many are ‘state housing’ in the right place.

      40 fucking houses. That is all you have got to show for? if that is all the private market can do then we are fucked. Really really badly fucked.

      • The New Student 5.4.1
        10 June 2016 at 4:39 pm

        +1 Exactly!

        And the quote from PB and NS is “We are building 40 houses every working day in Auckland this year”. Vague. That’s not the same as saying 40 houses are built every working day. Yet they seem to be implying just that.

        For all we know, these 40 houses could take a year’s worth of working days to be built. They should front up with evidence.

    • mauī 5.5
      9 June 2016 at 4:19 pm

      Meanwhile 40 vacant lots that were ex state houses are sold and redeveloped by private interests. I can take you round and show you the three different areas in my area as proof.

    • Anno1701 5.6
      9 June 2016 at 4:37 pm

      no 40 houses were FINISHED today ( if thats true )

      they took quite some time to build, you Do know understand how house construction works ?

    • TC 5.7
      9 June 2016 at 4:39 pm

      Houses on planet key dont count

    • Paul 5.8
      9 June 2016 at 4:53 pm

      Defending the indefensible.
      Shameful

    • Draco T Bastard 5.9
      9 June 2016 at 5:08 pm

      Pics or didn’t happen.

      Really, I want addresses and pictures of the 40 houses that were completed today.

    • North 5.10
      9 June 2016 at 6:03 pm

      Absolutely gobsmacking Fishy Anus. Where’s your proof ? Regurgitating that edgy weirdo Nick Smith ain’t proof. And please talk in terms of affordable housing for low income first home buyers. Otherwise you’re talking utter shit. Repugnant thing you.

    • Billy fish 5.11
      9 June 2016 at 6:51 pm

      Extra double plus good. And the chocolate ration has increased too

    • Rodel 5.12
      9 June 2016 at 7:37 pm

      fizz
      “40 houses were built today.” Yeah right! Show me?
      Seriously though…..Please list them and the addresses.

    • reason 5.13
      10 June 2016 at 8:32 am

      Did someone say 40 more motel units rented at rip off price gouging rates ??

      Expensive band aid patches to maintain the Housing policy abuse of bad Bennett & and the nasty nats …………

      Making the victims of Nationals Housing policy abuse take on debts to pay for exploitative overcharged room rates on low grade motels and other dumps is a further abuse against the most vulnerable living in NZ….. it’s ‘misery money’ or a ‘Tolley tax’.

      Privatise the cost of Government failure onto the victims of the failure while solving nothing and in fact making their situations worse is the present national response ….

      In essence …… Subhuman leaders …..Substandard Governance ….. Sub prime misery money used to distort Government accts ……

    • The New Student 5.14
      10 June 2016 at 4:45 pm

      Fisiani we look forward to your coming post on Thursday 16th June describing these joyful events that are about to take place.

  6. John 6
    9 June 2016 at 4:13 pm

    Bennett to busy to explain to the people living in the marae that this is their brighter future under National. She has well and truly lifted up the ladder after her.

  7. Chris 7
    9 June 2016 at 4:45 pm

    It’s fantastic that private charity can step up and address problems that have traditionally been the responsibility of government. Charities could start setting up homebanks where people without homes can turn up, say why HNZ can’t help them and presto – they get a home! Easy.

    • McFlock 7.1
      9 June 2016 at 4:51 pm

      the trouble with private charity is that it tends to help the deserving and cute cases, while funding for the more difficult or gross cases tends to fall by the wayside.

      Oh, and it’s the responsibility of government to make sure the nation’s population is housed, fed, healthy, educated, and able to work.

      • Macro 7.1.1
        9 June 2016 at 5:10 pm

        Oh, and it’s the fucking responsibility of government to make sure the nation’s population is housed, fed, healthy, educated, and able to work.

        Quoted for truth!

        • McFlock 7.1.1.1
          9 June 2016 at 5:29 pm

          lol
          I took out the F-bomb just before the edit deadline because I’m trying to be slightly better behaved these days.

          • adam 7.1.1.1.1
            9 June 2016 at 11:11 pm

            Does mean I’m reading your comments more McFlock, and enjoying reading your comments as well.

      • Chris 7.1.2
        9 June 2016 at 5:40 pm

        The trouble with private charity is that there’s no guarantee basic needs will be met because the recipient is at the mercy of the provider.

    • Sabine 7.2
      9 June 2016 at 4:59 pm

      oh yes. Maybe we could have some religious charities? Are you a catholic, protestant, pentecostal, Jehova Witness, Quiverfull, ATI? Ok maybe you get a house?
      Maybe we could have some charities that link to political parties? Not a socialist? sorry no house for you, voted Labour? no house for you, Member of the Green Party, no house for you?
      Maybe we have some charities that look after certain groups of people? Not caucasian? sorry no can do? Not asian? No need to apply?

      Can you see why at some stage Government took over ‘social’ or state housing to make sure that people irrespective of gender, martial status, ethnicity, religion or political party affiliation would be able to find a liveable, heatable, and other wise safe, healthy home.

      The Marae is doing what the government refuses to do. Namely look after the citizens of this country.

      Maybe the guys running the marae should also take over government. Cause clearly this National Party led government is not worth their pay and should be send packing.

      • Chris 7.2.1
        9 June 2016 at 5:16 pm

        Yeah, but you’d have to have rules so that homeless people don’t abuse the good nature of the charities, like only one home per family, and you’re only allowed to ask for a home three times in a year otherwise you get banned from all homebanks. And no hopping from homebank to homebank because that just makes all homeless people look like scroungers. Homebank hopping should cop a longer ban because that’s really serious as it takes homes away from other homeless people.

        • North 7.2.1.1
          9 June 2016 at 6:14 pm

          Yeah these people who are homeless are just bastards aren’t they ? Always trying to fuck over the good folk.
          I’ll bet that little girl TA living at Te Puea right now would be a fair dinkum little cow if she wasn’t closely watched.

          If I wasn’t pretty much assured you’re being sarc’ Chris I’d say “Get a life areshole !”

          • Chris 7.2.1.1.1
            9 June 2016 at 6:20 pm

            Only pretty much assured? Not completely certain? Guess I should feel lucky you didn’t call me an arsehole.

            • North 7.2.1.1.1.1
              9 June 2016 at 7:19 pm

              Well done Chris……the best sarc’ should always leave the door just very slightly open. If it’s too obvious it loses pungency. Sheepishly I admit that my last paragraph was more an afterthought than it was a first thought.

    • mauī 7.3
      9 June 2016 at 5:01 pm

      So pretty much put the responsibility and costs on the people who do care, who invest far too much of their own time and money that they dont have very much of. While the people who earn the most and generally don’t care can carry on not giving a shit, yeah great.

  8. jcuknz 8
    9 June 2016 at 5:03 pm

    No thanks Sabine just because they do one good thing doesn’t mean they can do everything well … sorry.

  9. Just Me 9
    9 June 2016 at 5:13 pm

    Really there is no point in Paula Bennett being an MP when she cannot front up to things. Her lack of appearance and yet eagerness to resort to blame games shows how shallow she truly is as a so-called ‘representative of the people(of NZ)’.
    After almost 8 years in government the best the Key crowd can do is behave like village idiots blaming others for their pure arrogance and stupidity.
    Not too long ago someone I know saw Paula Bennett walking through a Newmarket shopping centre as she headed to a high market fashion shop. And so her actions back and now show she has become totally corrupted in her job.
    In the 90s she showed disdain towards the National government of the time. Here in 2016 she(as a National MP)shows disdain for the citizens of New Zealand.
    Is this woman the sort of person we want as a representative of us or are we being fools to let her and her ilk back in after election 2017?
    Not too many months ago John Key, when asked about the housing crisis in Auckland, grinned like the idiot that he permanently comes across as being and quipped ‘What housing crisis? I don’t see a housing crisis….” His response and the attitude problem of Paula Bennett shows a government completely out of touch with reality.
    In other words arrogance has become concrete within the Key government.

    • TC 9.1
      9 June 2016 at 5:26 pm

      Arrogance has always been there, its just more obvious now that they dont give a F.

      Bennett is expendible unlike others who have access to the skeleton closet.

    • Chris 9.2
      9 June 2016 at 7:01 pm

      It’d be a gift from the National party if Bennett ever became leader.

  10. Paul 10
    9 June 2016 at 5:21 pm

    Heading has now been changed.
    ‘Social Housing Minister considers helping Te Puea Marae’

    Considers helping?
    Housing NZ’s most citizens is her job.
    Not the Marae’s.

    She should be ashmed they are doing what her government should be doing.

    • Chris 10.1
      9 June 2016 at 6:12 pm

      “Social Housing Minister considers helping Te Puea Marae”

      Yeah, like funding fucking food banks. Plays right into the agenda of shifting responsibility for welfare on to the community, like Clinton’s HR4 Bill in 1996. Community groups are already handing out benefits for young people. Government’s going to say it’s such a success we’re rolling it out for everyone. Pushing housing out will be a doddle. IHC will be licking its filthy right wing lips.

  11. Karen 11
    9 June 2016 at 6:08 pm

    Paula Bennett isn’t embarrassed – she just doesn’t want to actually have to talk to homeless people. So she has arranged a meeting at a Mt Eden cafe – less than 10 kms from Te Puea Marae. Too busy because she has only one day in Auckland? She lives in Auckland FFS, and represents an Auckland electorate. Or does she not work weekends?

    She should have visited Te Puea last week as a priority, and gone back again this week. She is a disgrace. Callous, nasty, vindictive and incompetent.

    • Chris 11.1
      9 June 2016 at 6:14 pm

      And incredibly thick.

    • North 11.2
      9 June 2016 at 6:45 pm

      When the guy living between Kaikohe and Okaihau laboriously spun the wheels of his wheelchair about 8 kilometres over mostly rural road to the Kaikohe WINZ office to smash one its large front windows with a hammer early one morning 2-3 years ago, the baggage was right up here within a day or so for a private meeting with him. Because it was capable of being ‘dealt with’ in that way. He’d been foully treated two days before – “So you want a food grant……go away ’til you’ve seen the budgeter, again. Three week waiting list for the budgeter ? So what, go away !”

      The baggage won’t go near Te Puea because it’s simply not possible to keep it under wraps anymore. There’s too much risk of the baggage being publicly upbraided. So it’s all about Paula Paula Paula. And that gutless thing with the effete giggle, ‘Macho’ John Key AB (Ret).

    • dave 11.3
      9 June 2016 at 9:33 pm

      shes an utter cow that bitich should be ran out of dodge as the Americans say.
      shes to busy to meet the victims but plenty time to go to the young nats ball. these people like key benett should not be anywhere near government or tax payer money

  12. McFlock 12
    9 June 2016 at 7:34 pm

    shizzle – missed reply
    ah – no. comment replying to disappeared

  13. Trevor Wilson 13
    10 June 2016 at 11:24 am

    40 houses a day 200 new imigrants

  14. M. Gray 14
    10 June 2016 at 12:52 pm

    Maybe when the Labour party start their election campaign they can show National and there mates in a car-like waka sinking

  15. ron horne 15
    10 June 2016 at 1:54 pm

    Its because of the Maori party being national puppets this is happening in the first place. Now they ask there mate bennett to help them now people are homeless why didnt he ask BEFORE people became homeless, Oh hes useless I figured that out. Just didnt want to admit it being an ex maori party voter now see them as the national maori party instead no protests no arguing just being puppets and letting seymour the rich cunt tell people in parliament people are homeless because there homes are being renovated, WHAT A WANKER that wanker is.

  16. M. Gray 16
    10 June 2016 at 2:10 pm

    Yeah the Maori party are propping them up but don’t forget the other two parties that got buggar all of the party vote yet under MMP have the deciding vote in much of the damaging legislation. Don’t worry about the Maori party there days are numbered.
    I was an ex- Maori party voter but haven’t been for 2 elections I’m looking for somewhere to put my vote I haven’t decided yet but I would never vote for the Wayne Kerr party I am sure you know who I mean. I saw the damage they did last time and I don’t trust them.

  17. Keith 17
    11 June 2016 at 6:58 am

    From Key down National ministers wiil NOT front if they can’t be guaranteed a patsy Hosking /Henry/Williams/Gower interview.

    This is the problem for our manipulative stage managed little flowers posing as Crown Ministers!

  18. Just Me 18
    11 June 2016 at 10:52 am

    In the past few days we have heard that this government intends to spend $20billion on upgrading/updating the military. And within 24 hours of that announcement we hear the MSD offered to the marae ONLY $10,000. That shows the so-called misplaced priorities this government has i.e $20billion on warfare equipment and $10,000 on people(of NZ).Wow….. Key wanted to leave a legacy and what an excellent(speaking facetiously here)legacy he will leave us NZ taxpayers to pay for!
    I am sure in due course we will find out how much in total the flag referendum has cost the NZ taxpayers. And yet to date does anyone know how much the 34 ‘talking’ Beemers that Key recently purchased has cost us taxpayers?
    I am also sure that very soon Key will charge the NZ taxpayers with the expense of 2 leased Pandas whose offspring(if they are up to that job)will be shunted off back to China. The initial cost of these pandas could be in the $50million range. But it’s not Keys’ own money involved in the project and therefore not his concern.
    He will continue spending OUR money on HIS vanity projects until the cows(NZ owned cows that is)come home. He will then quibble that something that is in the best interest for NZers like medicines for cancer treatments is too expensive.
    Lets just say I would much rather see that $20billion going to improving NZers lives than into the bank accounts of some overseas banks and military organisations. The military hardware will have ‘Used by dates/Best before dates’ but the Key government fails abysmally to respect NZers except where votes are concerned.
    We have been ‘promised’ by Key of tax cuts next year. How convenient as it would be so perfectly timed for before the election. But we must all now know a Key promise is a definite broken promise onces the votes have been counted. Lets just say this government has a legacy of lying in their wake. Everything they say nowadays is looked upon as a pack of lies.