House Auckland homeless in cruise ships - businessmen

House Auckland homeless in cruise ships - businessmen

A working group of consultants and businessmen believe they've found an immediate, practical solution to homelessness in Auckland -- cruise ships.

The group, fronted by Christchurch businessman Garry House, says there are dozens of outdated passenger ships rotting in docks around Europe after new technology made them redundant.

"Our idea is to buy some ships, maybe lease them, but we'd prefer to buy, moor them at Onehunga and at Lyttelton, provide housing need for the people that are living in cars and for companies that have workers in Christchurch that need housing," he says.

"Ships are available all throughout the world, especially in Europe, they become quite uneconomical but they're quite seaworthy."

Mr House has already found a possible contender -- a passenger ship with 400 beds -- and says it could be brought to Auckland for $5 million. It would then provide a short-term home for around two to three years while the Government replenishes the social housing stock.

"It fixes the need right now until the building and housing industry can catch up. At that stage, where they meet at the same time, we won't need the ships and we can sell them," he says.

"Their life would be changed tremendously, they're warm, they're dry, there's good bedroom and bathroom facilities, and it'll give them the freedom to come and go and be able to work."

Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says cruise ships would not be "at the top of [her] list".

"I get a good idea a day from people at the moment and some of them have merit, and some of them are questionable," she says.

"It's the first I've heard of it, and I initially have some concerns. You see, viruses and illnesses go around cruise ships that are out there at the moment. There's those sorts of things to take into consideration. I think there's probably other things we could do."

However, Labour Party housing spokesperson Phil Twyford was warmer towards the idea, saying an emergency situation needed "bold action and creative thinking".

"You might think that put homeless people into a cruise ship is a crazy idea, but actually the housing crisis under this Government is a crazier situation," he says.

The chairman of Te Puea Marae in Mangere, where around 30 homeless families are currently sheltering, was supportive of anything that brought families off the poverty line.

"Nothing can be off the table for sure, because we're in a situation where families are coming to us a lot more now," he says.

"Anything that's going to help provide something warm, some place where the kids can put their heads, has to be a good thing. Whether it's temporary or at least a place to rest their heads, at least people get a chance to catch their breath."

Mr House says it's been done before in New Zealand when the hostel ship Wanganella was moored up to house 280 workers constructing the Manapouri during the 1960s. The ship was due to be scrapped but had a second life.

The group are hoping for financial backing from Government, local councils or big businesses and claim each ship could be brought to New Zealand for the cost of four or five Auckland houses.

Newshub.