Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

A landlord wrote to me the other day saying how many more tenants these days are applying for rentals, and on the application form are putting under proof of income, ‘WINZ’. Her point was, since when was a WINZ benefit, which is supposed to be a short term solution for people in difficult circumstances, since when has that become an income? It’s supposed to be a benefit, which you’re on for a short time. But she was saying how many single mums with only one or two kids are going into four bedroom homes courtesy of a government grant or benefit, and that perhaps the real housing crisis lies in the fact too many rentals are being subsidised by government benefits, which allow small no income families to go into large homes that they actually don’t need. And then we hear about the solo dad who said the other day that WINZ actually don’t want to help you get off the benefit. A “Bay of Plenty father with four kids aged four to 10 told Newshub he started looking for part-time work a few months ago…” He has.. “a bac