“I know where your daughters go to school, you know, it’s the same school my daughter went to. How would they feel if it was their daughters being threatened with rape?”
“Just think about your investment property and your social responsibility to the community.”
She said police were too overworked to help, and the owners didn’t care enough to change anything.
Years of pleas to council and local politicians, including ACT leader David Seymour, had fallen on deaf ears.
Natalie lived closer to the other property owned by the Chatlys, Lantana Lodge, where she said there was still a threat.
“There is some responsibility there that they need to take on, but the police won’t come. It’s a waste of time for them unless somebody is murdered or there’s a fire,” she said.
There was a systemic problem which had to be addressed, she said.
“It’s whatever government policy that is allowing them to operate in this way, and the owners will find a loophole.”
Asbestos found on the property
To compound matters, the property which burnt down has also been flagged for containing asbestos, something Fire and Emergency told RNZ they were not aware of when first responding.
Dozens of residents were on the street at the time of the fire, watching it catch ablaze.
Gillian said she was incredibly angry the property wasn’t on a register, and neighbours were not alerted earlier.
FENZ said it was told about the presence after the insurance investigator came back with a positive sample.
A spokesperson said: “It is general practice to assume there may be asbestos materials in buildings of this age, and appropriate health and safety precautions were carried out.
“At the time of the fire, tenants of neighbouring properties were advised to close their windows due to smoke.”
Health New Zealand’s website said asbestos inhalation was dangerous in high quantities, and it was higher in “degrading asbestos cement clad buildings, or former sites of such buildings, or a waste site where asbestos is disturbed or not properly covered”.
“National Public Health Service Northern region was not alerted to asbestos on the property at the time of the fire or subsequently,” a Te Whatu Ora spokesperson said.
“Private property owners manage asbestos clearance, but are obliged to alert WorkSafe NZ if there is a risk to workers or the public,” they added.
David Seymour and police respond
Seymour, who is the local MP, told RNZ his hands were tied.
“It remains true that it is not illegal to run a boarding house, nor for people to stay at them,” he said in a statement. “It is not possible for any MP to stop people from doing things that are legal, even when they are causing immense distress as I’m well aware has been the case with these hostels.
“My office has been aware of this issue for three years and worked extensively to provide information to raise concerns with the relevant authorities,” he said.
Seymour said his office had worked with FENZ and police on a regular basis, and helped the ministry of Social Development identify “bad actors at the hostels so they could be removed to enhance public safety”.
Police said they were limited in what they could say for privacy reasons, but Inspector Dave Christoffersen said, “in general, police are aware of incidents involving residents at two addresses in the Parnell area in recent months”.
“Our staff also regularly conduct prevention patrolling through Parnell alongside other demand in central Auckland,” he said.
Christoffersen said the residents have a right to feel safe in their own neighbourhood, and he could appreciate the frustration from residents.
However, he said they would still investigate and respond to offending and the community can assist by being the “eyes and ears.”
The investigation into the cause of the 7 April fire is still underway because of a partial scene examination only being possible at the time.
Christofferson said police were awaiting reports around the fire’s exact cause.