NZ Politics

The government has announced its new top-priority approach for families with children in emergency housing, while signalling a stricter approach for those accessing it.

The Priority One category will mean families with dependent children in emergency housing for longer than 12 weeks would automatically move to the top of the waitlist, from April. Bishop said the policy was expected to prioritise about 800 of the roughly 3000 families on the waitlist.

However, Upston signalled it would come alongside a stricter approach to allowing people into emergency housing in the first place.