August 17, 2022
Te Arawa needed for homeless solution
The head of Te Tatau o Te Arawa – the partnership between Te Arawa and the Rotorua Lakes Council – says the city is facing a crisis.
Te Taru White says the council’s pre-election report identified problems with homeless people from other areas being housed in Rotorua motels.
He says it’s no longer safe to walk the streets because gangs, P and crime are major problems, but it’s important the new council sees it as a Maori solution rather than a Maori problem.
“A lot of our people are impacted by this because we’re at the bottom of the deprivation list so I can see people wanting to exit but Te Arawa won’t exit. We’re here forever. Te Arawa has to step forward any new council needs to have Te Arawa, needs to have our people leading ourselves out of this,” Mr White says.