New Zealand Today: Man Sleeps in Car after Heart Op

The Dominion Post reports that a Porirua man had a heart operation and shortly afterwards, with no housing available, had to sleep in his car for a several days.

This is part of the newspaper article:

Rodwell Ama, 42, was born and bred in Porirua. He had worked in the same job at Moore Wilson’s since he was 16. But the father-of-four said the system had failed him.

Last May he was forced to quit his job after having heart problems and needing aortic valve surgery. He was put on the sickness benefit and has had two operations.

“I couldn’t work any more. I couldn’t lift or do anything. You pay your tax from when you start and when you ask for help they only give you a little,” he said.

I never expected this to happen and I just need a bit of help with that. They said no.”

Rodwell ended up turning to the Salvation Army who placed him in an emergency home in Strathmore, 30 km away from his kids. Eventually Housing New Zealand have lined up a home for him to move into in Cannons Creek, Porirua.

This is the reality of New Zealand 2014 for working class people. Outrageous stories of the way the system treats poor people are emerging all the time. As soon as you can’t produce someone else’s profit any more you are on the scrap heap. It’s a different story for the work-shy wealthy few. The government are always helping them get richer; for example selling them our power assets cut-price.