A dying Waitara man says he had to go public with his private life before Housing New Zealand would let his son stay with him when he came out of prison.
Sam Martin from Ngapuhi and Tainui, who is terminally ill, says Housing New Zealand allowed his son to stay with him in his one-bedroom state unit only when he told his story about their lack of compassion to a local newspaper.
"I was devastated that it had to go that far; I don't want people to know my business," he told Waatea News. "Death comes upon all of us, but I had to expose myself to the rest of the world."
Mr Martin said Housing New Zealand's backtrack will allow him to bond with his son before he dies.
