A Kāinga Ora tenant whose been attacked by his state house neighbours doubts the government ordered crackdown on aggressive and intimidating behaviour will make any difference.
Ministers have written to the state landlord demanding it end the sustaining tenancies approach designed to help those at risk of being evicted and instead be much tougher on misbehaving renters.
They also want the almost ten thousand tenants who between them owe $21 million in rent to pay up.
But there are fears the change could push more people towards homelessness.
RNZ political reporter Katie Scotcher has more.
