Frustration at the lack of available and suitable housing in Hawkes Bay has forced these families to take their concerns to the streets.
One protester, Flo Karaitiana says, “Basically nothing's changed, if anything its gotten worse, and these ministers need to wake up and really take our concerns seriously.”
Mother, Jolene Morrell says, “Homes are where we all grow up in, they mean everything to us when we're overcrowded we have to kick someone out and I can't do that to my children.”
In 2012 Jolene was living in an overcrowded four bedroom state home with her ten children in Flaxmere, but two years on and her situation is still the same despite her pleas for help.
Empty state houses have been a contentious issue not only in Hawkes Bay but across the country, with no decision yet on the fate of the empty state houses in areas like Maraenui.
Labour MP, Meka Whaitiri says, “I've travelled up and down Ikaroa Rawhiti and I just see empty state homes but whanau living on top of whanau that leads to a whole lot of health issues especially for our children and I'm not happy about it.”
All these families say they want answers to an issue that is well overdue.