Clayton Mitchell New Zealand First MP

Finding solutions to short-term housing problems is being thwarted by the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

After discussions with local agencies and community groups on homelessness, one creative idea we've been working on is the creation of a smartphone app to connect people who might have a house or flat or spare room with people looking for a place to stay. We know there are people ready and wanting to help, and we believed an app might be a way to put people together.

Unfortunately, in trying to iron out the bugs, we have come up against the brick wall of government bureaucracy. We are stopped from moving forward confidently because of real and serious concerns over who would have oversight responsibility and legal culpability should problems arise between those offering housing and those being housed.

As a person conducting a business or undertaking – known as a PCBU – whoever takes this app further, and even those who have accommodation to offer, could find themselves exposed to the law. We don't want generous New Zealanders to be put at risk by signing up to offer housing, so we sadly find ourselves forced into leaving the app idea unfinished, and going back to the drawing board again. Good intentions from the public are being thwarted by overzealous legislation, and real Kiwis are suffering.

We, at New Zealand First, have been asking for this legislation to come back to the House, for further debate to iron out the bugs. But we also keep coming up against a brick wall. This legislation needs to be fixed now, to get out of the way of Kiwis who want to help Kiwis.

I'm really proud of the successes we've had, getting people into homes. We will keep looking for creative solutions, but it's a real shame this one has been derailed by over-the-top government bureaucracy.