"Blame the Victim" mentality in Auckland National Party

Paul Goldsmith, the man who wrote the biography of Donald T Brash, is now a National Party member of the Auckland City Council.

I was as gobsmacked and outraged as any other ordinary person would be to hear his reported comments from the City's Community Services Committee, desiring to see homeless people re-located out of the City, presumably so that Goldsmith's gold-plated chums don't have to suffer the inconvenience of being reminded that not everyone has life so easy as they do.

Most homeless people have some combination of mental health, ordinary health problems and are suffering massive social exclusion.

The response is not to bundle people away. It is to deal honestly and openly with the problems that they face, and to turn the City's attention to how it can help, not how it can harm, people in such a position.

I also note that the Greens and the Labour Party have condemned the comments. I await with interest the response of National candidate Nikki Kaye, who is portraying herself as a young bright thing who actually cares about people. Where is her condemnation of Goldsmith's disgraceful comments?

Kaye should put her cards on the table. She should either confirm she shares the values of most Aucklanders, who rightly condemn this sort of attack (and you know it's the majority, because even Banks backpedalled on this furiously this morning), or she should confirm her own allegiance to the right wing fringe of the National Party - people like Goldsmith, Bhatnagar, etc.

I suspect we'll all be waiting a long time. Anyway, one candidate is honest about her views, Judith Tizard's media release follows below.

Council plays politics with cruel attack on most vulnerable

Auckland Central MP Judith Tizard is appalled by reports that Auckland City
Council's Community Services Committee wants to 'deal' with the city's
homeless by shipping them out of the city.

"Auckland City is simply playing politics at the expense of very vulnerable
people," said Judith Tizard.

"These actions are an insult to the many volunteers, community workers and
dedicated professionals in the Police and mental health services, who
devote so much time and effort to helping Auckland's homeless people.

"Where does the Council intend on moving the homeless? Remuera or St
Heliers perhaps, or further out of town, maybe to Takapuna?

"Auckland's CBD has, according to recent survey, 80 or more people sleeping
rough.

"These people need community services from their council's ironically named
Community Services Committee, not to be the targets of politically
motivated scaremongering.

"The Anglican City Mission has done wonderful work with engaging with and
supporting homeless people.

"We have seen that in many cases they can once again participate fully in
the community, and in some cases get jobs or undertake study.

"Let's help them, not hide them or hide from the problems," said Judith
Tizard.

Comments

[Peter Cresswell]

Crikey, Judith's woken up!

Must be an election soon.

[Cactus Kate]

And how long has Labour had to put these homeless into State Homes?

Yeah....don't want to go do they?

[Cactus Kate]

And how long has Labour had to put these homeless into State Homes?

Yeah....don't want to go do they?

[Dilip]

Jordan are you not labor candidate for hunua? Is auckland city in hunua or are you making comment because you do not live in hunua? I listen to radio yesterday and city missioner say that the government does not give any money for helping these people. Why is this problem ratepayer problem and not central government problem jordan? Why is Judith Tizard not fixing the problem when she is local MP? What is Judith Tizard doing to find housing for these people jordan?

[jackie]

Where is your statement on the issue?

You say "Most homeless people have some combination of mental health, ordinary health problems and are suffering massive social exclusion."

Can you please justify what Labour has done in 9 years of government to reform the health and mental health system?

Will you be "honest and open" about "the problems that they face" and turn your attention to how Labour "can help, not how it can harm, people in such a position." Or do you prefer to try score cheap political points at the expense of the most vulnerable in our society?

Given your endorsement of Judith Tizard, can you outline Judith's efforts to avoid the situation, that has made her press statement necessary?

[Clint Heine]

Ouch Jordan - another burn. This is getting serious.

[rjs131]

I wonder what Judith Tizard has done to address the problem? Wouldnt this rank as an AUckland Issue?

[Macro]

Whatever labour has or has not done with regards to the homeless in Auckland is NOT the issue! What is the issue is the councillors CALLOUS approach. He has no right or moral justification and displays a complete lack of goodwill. The above comments are obviously by persons of a similar ilk. Disgusting. I weep for our country when we have people who think like that.

[Macro]

Whatever labour has or has not done with regards to the homeless in Auckland is NOT the issue! What is the issue is the councillors CALLOUS approach. He has no right or moral justification and displays a complete lack of goodwill. The above comments are obviously by persons of a similar ilk. Disgusting. I weep for our country when we have people who think like that.

[Clint Heine]

You weep too soon Macro. Jordan pretends to care but it seems he only cares when a National Party member says something stupid about it. You should weep at the double standards shown on this blog and the fact that Labour have failed to address this for 9 years.

[The Caped Crusader]

Jordans just worried about which cardboard box hes going to live under once labour dumps him for being excessively useless

[#13baby]

"Says something stupid?" Sounds sensible to me.

And Jordan if you cared about minorities you would not rip into Aaron Bhatnagaar like that. As a white man you have no idea what Aaron has gone through as a minority in a white country.