'Perverse incentive': MSD staff metrics include emergency housing grants

'Perverse incentive': MSD staff metrics include emergency housing grants

June 27, 2026 · 15 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of MSD staff metrics on emergency housing requests and the unprecedented scale of homelessness in New Zealand.

Ministry of Social Development (MSD) managers are being told they can face performance management if, among other measures, their staff approve too many emergency housing requests, documents obtained by Q+A reveal. Homelessness advocates say the scale of rough sleeping is unprecedented in New Zealand, and that government policies are part of the reason why. Jack Tame put the documents, obtained under the Official Information Act, to associate housing minister Tama Potaka. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

People in this episode

Host: Jack Tame

Guest: Tama Potaka

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ministry of Social Development

Places: New Zealand

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