ROBERT KITCHIN/Stuff
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will be joined by Covid-19 Response Minister Ayesha Verrall for the post-Cabinet media conference.
The healthy homes initiative – aimed at making rental properties warmer and drier – has helped 142,000 people, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.
Ardern was joined by Associate Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall at the weekly post-Cabinet briefing.
Verrall said the $30 million scheme had already improved school and work attendance, and significantly reduced rheumatic fever hospitalisations by 40% last year when compared to the previous year.
“There’s a lot of money saved but the human impact is greater,” Verrall said.
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The Government’s healthy homes regulations set minimum standards for insulation, heating, moisture, drainage, ventilation, and draught-stopping for all rental properties.
In July, almost half of Kāinga Ora homes still don’t comply with the Government’s own requirements for warm, dry rental properties.
Ardern said the Govenrment was “rolling through” Kainga Ora homes which were not up to standard, and ensuring they were insulated.
“We know poor housing stock can make people sick,” she said.
Ardern said the program would be expanded to whole country by the end of the year.
