What we heard: insights from our women’s homelessness panel discussion
On a very wet Monday 26 May we held our Women’s Homelessness Discussion Panel at HomeGround in Auckland. Our speakers discussed the critical crossovers of women’s health, housing and retirement. This blog (a ten minute read) summarises the kōrero.
The panel featured Sharon Shea MNZM, Tumu Whakarae and CEO of Shea Pita & Associates; Helen Robinson, Manutaki and CEO of Auckland City Mission – Te Tāpui Atawhai; and Dr Jo Gamble (PhD Psychology), Research Lead for Policy at Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission. The discussion was facilitated by Amanda Kelly, Policy and Practice Manager at Community Housing Aotearoa – Ngā Wharerau o Aotearoa.
Amanda Kelly began the discussion by highlighting that women make up about half of Aotearoa’s homeless population, with wāhine Māori disproportionately affected. She explained that older women face increasing homelessness due to factors like widowhood and financial insecurity and that single mothers are particularly vulnerable. She pointed out that most services are still designed around men’s experiences.
Helen Robinson took a powerful moment to acknowledge the frontline workers and women with lived experience who were in the audience. She expressed hope for a future where their voices lead the way.
How do women’s health, housing, and financial security intersect to affect long-term wellbeing?
Helen stressed that without financial means, affordable housing and health are out of reach, these issues are deeply connected and require systemic solutions.
Dr Jo Gamble focused on financial security, noting that many older women don’t own their homes outright and face persistent wage gaps that reduce retirement savings. She explained that health and housing challenges grow with age, often increasing reliance of women on their family, which can become complicated.
Sharon Shea emphasised that these disparities reflect broken systems and highlighted Mana Wāhine - the inherent authority and dignity of Māori women, as central to creating respectful, lasting solutions.
What solutions can improve financial wellbeing for women in retirement?
Jo shared stories of two women facing financial hardship in retirement: Rema, who sold her home to cover debts when her husband’s health declined, and she now lives independently in a cold and unsuitable rental; and Christine, who faced business failure and health issues, relying on house-sitting and New Zealand Superannuation for stability.
Jo outlined some key solutions which include:
Financial education in schools
Increasing KiwiSaver default contributions
Removing barriers to KiwiSaver contributions during parental leave
Encouraging employer support for parental leave pay and KiwiSaver
Raising awareness that KiwiSaver is relationship property
Improving access to disability allowances
Exploring care credits for unpaid caregiving
What is the Mana Wāhine approach and its role in collective progress?
Sharon said that before colonisation, Māori women held powerful leadership roles celebrated through rich cultural traditions, and that colonisation and ongoing coloniality have diminished this legacy. To move forward, Sharon said that Aotearoa must re-educate itself about Mana Wāhine; recognising and honouring the historic authority and rangatiratanga of Māori women.
Sharon outlined some key steps which are essential to empowering Mana Wāhine and creating meaningful change.
Recognising Māori women’s leadership
Holding systems accountable to deliver better outcomes for all women, especially Māori women
Empowering Māori women with authority to lead decision-making in systems and services.
How can we improve outcomes for women experiencing homelessness?
Helen highlighted that half of those severely housing deprived are women, whose needs differ from men’s but are often overlooked. She said that a major challenge is the lack of gender-specific data, which limits understanding of women’s experiences.
The Coalition to End Women’s Homelessness calls for better data collection and a homelessness strategy focused on women, holding systems accountable to allocate resources fairly, as many women’s struggles remain invisible in current statistics.
Helen said that shining a light on these truths is the first step toward real, lasting change.
What is the progress that we want to see next in the foreseeable future - in the next five years? What does progress look like?
Sharon explained that that true progress means women having access to long-term, sustainable housing and living the lives we were born to live, as rangatira.
Sharon invited everyone in the room to adopt a Mana Wāhine lens.
“All Māori women are born rangatira,” she said.
Sharon made a powerful call to non-Māori, urging those in relationship with Māori communities to step up in their allyship. She emphasised the need for non-Māori to walk alongside, uplift, and support Māori in ensuring Aotearoa fulfils the promise of Te Tiriti.
“We need good allies,” Sharon said, addressing Tangata Tiriti in the room, those watching the panel online, and beyond.
Jo emphasised that progress also starts with providing young women solid financial education in schools. She highlighted the Retirement Commission’s programme, Sorted in Schools – Te Whai Hua – Kia Ora, which is the first and only nationwide financial capability initiative aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum and available across Māori Medium Education.
Another key focus for the Retirement Commission is closing the gender pay gap. Jo stressed that when women enter the workforce, they should be paid fairly; stating that closing this gap is crucial to eventually bridging the retirement savings gap.
Helen shared progress being made by the Coalition to End Women’s Homelessness, which has commissioned a gender toolkit for organisations providing housing services, developed through a Te ao Māori lens. While the toolkit promises to be a valuable resource, Helen urged people not to wait for it.
“The skill and wisdom in this room don’t need a toolkit - you’ve already got it,” she affirmed.
At the start of the discussion, Helen acknowledged each organisation present. At this point, she issued a wero - a challenge - to become deeply aware of what it truly means to work with women, especially Māori women, and to reflect on what needs to be done differently.
She delivered a moving call to action:
“Voices must rise. Your voice must rise. You must claim it. You must not shut up. And particularly to every woman in this room: get angry, stay angry, and keep using that in a really good way,” she said.
Helen emphasised that how we reach the end is deeply connected to how we get there, and the power lies in claiming the voice we have right now.
“This current reality will be maintained as long as you stay quiet, unsure, or keep handing over because you’re not quite confident - especially those of you having conversations with funders, and particularly with the government. There is no harm in asking the simple question: “Tell me your gender strategy, please,” Helen urged.
“One of the delightful things for us tonight is simply that you are here, in this room on a Monday night, when many of you could be doing a lot of other things, and that many of you are joining online too. So take what you know to be true, speak it, and continue until you don’t need to anymore,” she concluded.
In closing
A resident from HomeGround expressed her gratitude:
“I just love this place so much. Thank you so much for having me today. Just little things in life can be really, really good for everybody,” she said.
Another audience member asked how those unable to speak directly to funders, government, or decision-makers can support the coalition. Helen responded by urging everyone to stand with women struggling with homelessness, whether on the street or at risk of losing stable housing, and to work together to find solutions.
She also highlighted a deeper issue: that many women, even those in significant leadership roles, still go home to be the primary caregiver, primary housekeeper—the primary everything. Helen emphasised that it doesn’t have to be that way.
At the end of the discussion, Amanda recalled a quote she had recently heard by Arundhati Roy, an Indian author and political activist.
“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”
Arundhati Roy’s quote expresses hope and certainty that a better world is coming, and that if you listen closely, you can already sense it beginning to take shape.
Me aro koe ki te hā o Hine-ahu-one
Pay heed to the dignity and power of women.
