- Category 5 - Housing, tenancy, property and land
- Category 9 - Transport, travel and tourism, immigration and interpreters
Category 8 - Personal and family
Although rural bureaux handle a smaller proportion of enquiries on personal and family matters, the volume of these enquiries increased at twice the rate in rural bureaux compared to urban bureaux. These may be lower in rural areas because people have greater concerns about confidentiality, for example for enquiries regarding breakdown of relationships.
Rural CABs have commented on a lack of access no local counselling services - they receive a greater proportion of enquiries for counselling services than bureaux in other areas. There also appears to be a need for more access to CYPFS and other support services. For example the increases in enquiries were higher in rural bureaux for:
- support with parenting issues and behavioural problems within families;
- support groups relating to pregnancy and young babies.
| Service delivery point When there are campaigns to encourage people to seek assistance or change their actions (e.g. breaking cycles, of violence, improving parenting skills) there should be services available to provide follow-up in rural communities. |
Rural CABs handled increased volumes of enquiries for such diverse topics as how to make missing person enquiries and how to contact support groups for victims of crime. Information on how to contact Victim Support seems to be better known in urban areas than in rural ones.
| Personal and family matters is a topic area where it appears there are few sources of information in rural communities, and the generalised service offered by rural CABs is an important community resource. |
Category 5 - Housing, tenancy, property and land
The increases in volume of housing enquiries indicates that housing issues are a growing concern in rural areas.
Examples of topics on which rural bureaux receive proportionately more enquines are:
- tenants' rights and responsibilities, landlord and tenant disputes, and tenancy tribunals;
- rental housing.
This would appear to be because of a lack of other sources for this information. Some rural bureaux have a high proportion of enquiries because they act as an agent for Housing New Zealand (HNZ), e.g. Te Awamutu holds the keys for HNZ houses, and Masterton and Whanganui supply tenancy forms.
Sometimes CABs find it difficult to get an answer from the Tenancy Services free phone service. We note that enquiries about rights of flatmates, co-tenants and boarders has increased more in rural CABs than in other bureaux.
| Service delivery point The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 1995 does not include as much protection for boarders and flatmates as first envisaged in the 1993 Amendment Bill. It will be important for the effectiveness of the Act to be reviewed within the next two years to see if it has adequately addressed the problems identified in the review of the Act. |
Enquiries about home ownership, purchase, sales and alterations, and neighbourhood problems and disputes represented a lower proportion of calls for rural bureaux. However, enquiries relating to tenancy and neighbour problems increased more in rural bureaux than in other bureaux. Some possible factors behind this increase include: more general community tension, lack of alternative accommodation, more tenants rather than farm workers in farm cottages, or people being more comfortable using CAB services for these issues.
Emergency accommodation
Increases in enquiries about emergency accommodation were significant for both rural and urban CABs. In rural bureaux the increase was mainly in 1995/96, whereas in urban bureaux it was mainly in 1994/95. Many rural bureaux find that as there is no emergency accommodation, or very limited options for making referrals, these enquiries are very difficult for them.
Maori land
While a small number in absolute terms, the number of enquiries to rural bureaux relating to Maori land and the Maori Land Court grew by over l00%. At the same time these type of enquiries fell in urban CABs. This suggests there are fewer sources of this information in rural areas, and highlights the need for rural bureaux to have good information on Maori land issues. The work of the CAB Maori Information Project and Cultural Advisory Roopu are contributing to our knowledge base on this.
Category 9 - Transport, travel and tourism, immigration and interpreters
Although a small proportion of total rural enquiries, the number of enquiries about transport, travel and tourism, immigration and interpreters has grown in rural areas as well as in urban.
Transport
For transport matters, such as fares, timetables and couriers, rural bureaux appear to provide a general source of information.
Enquiries by people requiring transport or a car pool are more common in rural CABs than other bureaux. Some rural bureaux assist people to get to medical appointments in cities. For example, Te Kuiti has a list of drivers for transport to local and Hamilton appointments, and Matamata is the booking agent for the Total Mobility Bus.
Transport offences
Rural bureaux are receiving an increasing number of enquiries regarding traffic offences. This fits with the concerns that although some people in rural areas can not afford to maintain a car to a safe level, they need a car for basic living activities.
Another concern raised by bureaux is the problems caused by people not having any car insurance. We are making submissions requesting the Government to consider introducing compulsory third party insurance.
Travel
Rural bureaux had a much larger increase than other bureaux for enquiries about information on passports, visas, embassies and other international travel matters. There is a current review of how the Department of Internal Affairs does business with its clients. If the department decides to reduce its rural outlets, bureaux will probably face an even greater demand for this type of information. In instances like this CABs can hold forms for government agencies.
| Service delivery point Where government changes its methods of access for basic services it should be resourcing these agencies which fill the gap it leaves behind. |
Interpreters and translating
Although only a small number, enquiries for interpreters and translating increased by 50% in rural bureaux. However, this was still far less than the increase for urban bureaux which reflected the increased use of CAB, especially in the Auckland area by immigrants and those requiring the assistance of translators.
| Service delivery point Rural service providers, CAB included, need to be aware that while the majority of new migrants initially arrive in Auckland, it is expected that they will not all stay there. As they move to other locations, they will need appropriate support and services. |
Contact for Enquiries
Rural Affairs Coordinator
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0675
Fax: +64 4 4 894 0745
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