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Auckland Councillor and Mayoral Candidate Auckland Councillor, Kerrin Leonie attended the the weekend march in Auckland to address youth homelessness and related issues. She says it was heartbreaking hearing stories shared by rangatahi, particularly those related to suicide, housing problems, addictions, and mental health issues.
Kerrin says it’s unacceptable that homelessness numbers have doubled, and criticises central government for settling social housing in Tamaki Makaurau. She believes that central government needs to take responsibility and provide solutions, while local government should spearhead these issues.
As the lead of the Māori outcomes portfolio, Kerrin acknowledges that many homeless youth are likely Māori. She is writing to the Prime Minister and MPs to prioritise addressing these issues. Unfortunately, she believes the current Mayor is out of touch with social issues and was notably absent from the weekend march.
Kerrin says the job of the Mayor is not only to focus on budget management but also on social advocacy. For her, being Mayor requires spearheading important social issues to get results from central government. She plans to follow up with organisations currently involved to explore additional actions Auckland Council can take.
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