Housing NZ says it's time to leave. The state-house residents say they're not going anywhere. This is our home, and we love our home. Plus, could you handle living the hunter-gatherer lifestyle in the middle of the city? I hunt, I fish, I dive, and they all require the same thing. And the latest details of the private farewell for the very public Whitney Houston. Due to the live nature of Close Up, captions for some items may be incomplete. ONE News captions by Diana Beeby and Hannah Reynolds. Close Up captions by Richard Edmunds and Kelsey Taylor. They've lived in their state house for nearly half a century, but Housing NZ says 'time's up'. The corporation plans to sell Moepai and Michael Temata's home to make way for more intensive housing. Forced to move, the couple's vowing to stay. But land's in short supply in Auckland, and projects like the Glen Innes development will provide more houses for more families. What, then, of the emotional cost for those forced to move on? Here's Mark Crysell. Moepai and Michael Temata are certainly house-proud. They have a lovely garden. I can just show you one bunch over here ` look at that. They keep the lawn mown ` not easy when you have no legs. I let him cut the front, but not the back, eh. So, when does a house become a home? How long have you lived here? 47 years. 47 years? Yes. Getting on for 48, actually. The Tematas moved here in 1964, worked hard and brought up five kids. How on earth did you bring up five children in this house? I managed, eh, very well. (LAUGHS) Their house fair reeks of memories. This is more than bricks and mortar, isn't it? It's more than that, yeah. Very much so. It's just like losing a family member. That's because a few months ago, the Tematas received this letter from their landlord, Housing NZ. Well, when we got the letter, I was really really shocked. The Tamaki-Glen Innes area is being redeveloped. Some of the land will be sold to developers, and they would have to move. It says here in the letter that the houses that they're looking to redevelop are 'old and outdated and no longer meet the needs of the tenants'. Is that fair? No, it's not fair ` not our house. Housing NZ did up the house when Michael lost his legs. They opened this wall... to be a one. He might be disabled, but as you can see, losing his legs to diabetes certainly hasn't slowed Michael down. Well, he doesn't like watching TV. He'd rather be out there working. The place wasn't that flash when they moved here in 1964. It was just full of rubbish. The grass was so high. It took us a year to clean this place up. But just over the road is Wai o Taiki Bay. There they are ` that's what they want. Sea views and quarter-acre sections. What was once only fit for state housing now has developers licking their lips. Well, this neighbourhood is changing, eh ` very much so. The Tematas used to bring their kids down here to swim. We couldn't afford to take them on the bus into town or Mission Bay, things like that, so we'd all come down here. Around 45 Housing NZ tenants will have to leave their homes by the middle of the year. Look. When did they do that? What replaces them will be a very different neighbourhood. It's gonna be big houses around here ` houses that we can't afford to live in, yeah. The money Housing NZ makes from selling these properties will allow them to build more state houses elsewhere. No argument there. But why don't they take the backyard, say the Tematas. That's what I said to them ` 'Why don't you just take half of the section and leave us alone?' Instead, Housing NZ asked the couple to take a look at some new units about 5km away. I thought, 'If I go and see them, that means I want to move out.' So I thought to myself, 'No, I won't go and see them.' I'll just stay here. Yeah. This is our home, and we love our home. Meanwhile, Auckland is bursting at the seams and needs all the space it can find. But the thought of no more Christmases surrounded by their children and grandchildren in their family home is just too hard to bear. 2011 would have been our last Christmas. Mm. And it's very sad. Will you move out? we won't move out. We're just going to see what happens in the end. You're just going to stay? Yes. Yes, until they throw us out. So, the economics of this redevelopment are easy to understand, but is the moving-on of long-term tenants like the Tematas fair? Housing NZ's programme manager, Graham Bodman, is with us. Good evening. Are they hopelessly unrealistic? I think residents like them, understandable that they don't want to move. But these sites are valuable. Auckland is growing. We need to upgrade the housing stock. How many people are in this scenario? We are looking to redevelop 156 houses. We are hoping that there will be a mix of new statehouses, affordable homes and... But how many people have been an estate house of 45 years? I think it's more the exception than the rule. I thought state housing was an emergency. How do you spend your whole life in one? We work with families closely. We will find other state housing options for them. We are providing better quality state housing, affordable... How can be better quality than it was? You're putting them into a dumpy little townhouse. Will be putting them into modern homes that a better use of land. What was wrong with the idea of putting a house on their backyard? We want to utilise the land the most effective way. There's plenty of need for that. We are working with the families that are affected. When they don't go, what do you do? We will cross that bridge when we come to it. We are confident that there are other houses for them. We'll make sure that the honeymoon into a suitably modified for disabilities. CORRECTION : home they move into many families have chosen to move already. They have been rehoused in other statehouses. I think the approach we are taking is reasonable. We can find people a new home to move into. So, what do you make of what Housing NZ had to say and the Temata's wanting to stay in their home? Let us know your thoughts. Email at Close Up at tvnz.co.nz and we're on Facebook too ` facebook.com/closeup. Coming up, Matt Chisholm meets the man challenging himself to live the hunter-gatherer lifestyle. And our man in LA on what to expect from the final farewell to Whitney Houston. At the start of the week we were shocked by the sudden death of Whitney Houston. Now, as plans are made to lay the singer to rest this weekend, the controversy is growing. Shortly before coming on air, I spoke to entertainment reporter Sam Rubin in Los Angeles, and I began by asking him how big this celebrity farewell was shaping up to be. Well, I tell you what ` I think people are very very interested in a few elements of the goodbye to Whitney Houston. It is, obviously, taking place in her hometown church, so in terms of the attendance, the number of physical bodies there, it won't be that big. But the fact that they've now allowed a camera to be in the church ` it will be streamed on the internet ` and Kevin Costner, her co-star from the Bodyguard, actually speaking at the service, I think that's going to be very interesting. The musical` I don't wanna say 'performances', but tributes from Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. I think it's gonna be a very very emotional service. I think it's a service a lot of people are gonna pay a lot of attention to. Where are we at with the controversy ` Bobbi Brown, the various wishes of people like Dion Warwick ` have they got all that sorted out, do you know? As far as I know, they don't entirely have it sorted out. I think Bobbi Brown wants to attend. I think, quote, unquote, the family does not want him to attend. You know, one thing that people are suggesting is whatever Whitney` the demons that she dealt with, of which there were many, several were introduced to her by Bobbi Brown, so many are painting him as part and parcel of the villain of the piece. They don't want him there. Obviously, he's the father to his daughter, and there are others who feel he should be there. I think when push comes to shove, I think it's entirely possible he won't be there. Any closer to details from the coroner? No. That's going to take a while, and there's this global, global interest. We're, of course, here in Hollywood speaking to you. People from around the world want these questions answered, but the coroner here in Los Angeles is very quick to point out that real-life forensic work is not like the CSI TV show. It doesn't happen overnight. They anticipate weeks until we get the report from toxicology. There have been all the` You know, I could piece together for you a scenario of what many think transpired, but, to be honest, nobody knows for sure and won't know until those tests come back. The controversy continues. What about Sony and the hiking of the price of CDs? Well, Sony was saying that this was an error caused by a single employee in Britain who's been disciplined, but it seems remarkable that very shortly after Whitney's death, the price went up by 60%. Once, sort of, the world discovered, 'Wait a minute. What happened here?' Sony reduced that price. Apple's iTunes committed almost a similar sin, but quickly brought the prices back down. Sony is saying firmly it was somebody in England who misunderstood and pressed the wrong button ` the typical, kind of, corporate apology we hear often. And Whitney Houston's funeral will be held at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark on Sunday morning at 6 NZ time. How often do you stop and think about the food you're eating ` whether you really like the taste, and what's actually in it? Well, Aucklander Paul Jenkins has, and it set him off on a dietary adventure. For one month, Paul's decided to give the shops away and catch his own tucker ` all while he keeps up his day job and life in our biggest city. Matt Chisholm with the man-turned-hunter and gatherer. ATMOSPHERIC GUITAR MUSIC I hunt, I fish, I dive, and they all require the same thing. You've got to be clear in your mind and just wait for something to happen for you. GUNSHOTS He's on the hunt, these misses now more crucial than ever before. Stop. Cattle beast. It is my meal, and, to be honest, I can feel my belly rumbling a little bit now. Support engineer Paul Jenkins is on a personal challenge. (PANTS) What the <BLEEP> happened? He's only allowed to eat food he's hunted for and gathered himself ` no butter, no milk, no processed or convenience foods, no supermarkets, for an entire month. This is about my rules, and I follow my rules, and maybe that's what we should all be doing, is making sure we're following our own rules and not being pressured to follow others. What are you going to eat? Anything I can ` rabbits, possums, pigs if I'm lucky, venison if I'm lucky, goat's probably available too, the vegetables. Doesn't look like a hell of a lot of food. What have you got here? Well, we've got tomatoes, we've got strawberries, we've got spinach and we've got dandelions. What is it about supermarkets or processed foods that you really don't like? When I'm eating processed foods regularly, then I'm just not satisfied. What makes this project more challenging ` perhaps even more impressive ` is that Paul lives and works right in the guts of central Auckland. I'm showing that I can do this while keeping my busy lifestyle. And do you think you'll beat young Jasper to the strawberries? Not a chance. Every time my backs turned, he's in there before me. (LAUGHS) We first caught up with Paul toward the end of day one. What have you had to eat today? I've had a very tiny carrot, a few strawberries and a couple of silverbeet leaves. I think the most challenging part is gonna be the first few days. Today's Wednesday ` middle of my working week ` and I haven't had a chance to get out and catch anything. Are you going to cheat? I don't intend to. Are you going to do anything illegal? Absolutely not. I make a point of saying I'm not going to do anything illegal or anything to annoy anybody. And that means the neighbours fruit trees and these ducks just down the road are off-bounds, but the condiments aren't. I'm going to allow myself sauces and spices so that I can` At least what I eat is going to taste nice. You think that's fair? I think so,... (LAUGHS) ...and it's me that's making the rules. How far are you prepared to go with this? Will you look through the old dumpsters, for example? That would be pretty desperate. I don't think it will come to that. A hunting trip in the first weekend of the month made sure of that. We ended up with two goats, two rabbits, a hare and a peacock. So, how long will that keep you going? Well, that should keep me going for, probably, the rest of the month. A second expedition the following weekend also producing plenty of good tucker. These peaches were found on the side of the road. Sorry, I'd offer you one, but I'm a bit starving myself. Then just a stone throw away, Paul gathers his quota of 25 mussels ` perhaps two meals ` in about 10 minutes. And I got a little bit of seaweed as well. What I have learnt is that every form of seaweed around NZ is edible. Because I'm looking, I'm seeing the trees on the side of the road. Because I'm looking, I see likely places to pick mussels off the rocks. And while he struggled initially,... Yeah, I could certainly feel the pain. ...two weeks in and Paul's got this challenge in the bag. My energy levels haven't changed. I think I'm a little bit tireder. I tend to, instead of coming home late at night and having a quick sandwich and a bit of a snack out of the fridge, I sorta have to make myself cook something now. But he reckons it's worth it. Saving my soul, if you like. This is all very very pleasurable for the soul. Turnip can be eaten raw. Perhaps a nice little garnish over the goat? Perhaps. I think I'll have it with turkey, since it did come out of the same patch. (LAUGHS) Tonight's dinner, then ` turkey breast in mayonnaise and garlic, with turnip, watercress and lemon salad. Do you think it's achievable for everyone? I think it is. I think the main barrier for people is the knowledge that they can do it. A lot of people don't, possibly, know how to do it. At the end of the project, will you be done, or will you carry on living like this? I will certainly carry on with this, to some extent. I won't do it so strictly. I do like my bread, like I said. I wouldn't mind an ice cream every so often. You can't shoot an ice cream. It's already world famous in NZ. Now Paeroa has notched up another sparkling accolade. The small northern Waikato town's been judged 'Community of the Year', part of the NZer of the Year awards handed out last night. You could say Paeroa lucked in, being home to L&P, but what's at the heart of this latest prize? Michael Holland went for a visit to find out. Nga Iwi FM, 92.4. Rino Wilkinson here to keep you company. Hope you're enjoying your Friday morning. I've gotta say a big congratulations to the wonderful community folk here in Paeroa. To all those people in Paeroa, whatever volunteer work you do, this award is part of you. Sometimes, just sometimes, tired old puns have their place. We are fizzing like this bottle of L & P. We are absolutely fizzing. I'm fizzing. You're fizzing? I really am. This town of barely 4000, home to the big brown and antique capital of the country, is happily adding to its renown. We are now world-famous as the NZ community of the year. What's someone from Paeroa called? Um, Paeroa-ian, maybe. I don't really know. You're a proud Paeroa-ian? Proud Paeroa-ian, yeah. We're country kids down yonder. Humble country folk who know what makes for a tight community; know how to keep themselves busy and focused. It is about the people. It's people that make a community, and this community is made up of people who are constantly giving back into making it a fantastic town. Case in point ` Robyn Hills,... Pole position is just down on the left-hand side, opposite the local burger bar. ...one of the army of volunteers responsible for Paeroa's annual Battle of the Streets motorbike races, the event coming of age with its 21st running on Sunday,... This is the number-one official? Number-one official. He's the president. ...complete with a new mascot to mark the occasion. The race comes right through the main street? Right through the main street. Bikes are doing about 220 to 250 clicks an hour coming down here. Clicks? Yeah. (CHUCKLES) That's fast, though, eh? Yeah, it is fast. For the town, though, it's more than roaring race bikes. It's proof to the outside world that a small community can repeatedly deliver well beyond its size. In the last month, we've had a big Scottish tattoo, we have a big V8 parade, obviously, we've got the motorcycle racing, and then, in a few weeks' time, we've also got a wine and food festival, so none of these events can take place without the local Paeroa people getting behind them. The bike race, for example ` we get 300 of them getting up horrendously early in the morning. Probably about 4 o'clock they're in the street building the circuit. It does take a bit of community effort to get these events going. And in return, the myriad of community groups who help get a share of the gate takings, the event giving back more than $750,000 over the years. Under the start-finish line, we've got the timing loop, which` the bikes all have transponders on, and it electronically takes the times of each bike. You know all about this, don't you? Yes, I do. I'm surprised with how much I know. (LAUGHS) Your official title is...? Town promoter. Town promoter with her own office. Yes. Yes, Positive Paeroa office. It has to be yellow, of course. Of course. L&P colours, you know, are pretty well represented. Congratulations. Oh, gidday. (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) Isn't that incredible, eh? Fantastic. Yep. Yep. We're really proud of it. Tap yourself on the back. Pat yourself on the shoulder, and really think about the work you do in the community. Now, without you, a lot of things don't develop. You can quite happily coexist with racing motorbikes past your front door? Yes. I'm a bit of a petrol head myself. (CHUCKLES) Seeing as you barged into my interview, I should ask you, what do you think? I think it's fantastic. I've watched the town really come up in the last couple of years from where it was. Congratulations. You deserve it. You rock. We fizz. We're a fantastic town, so we're gonna shake that bottle and... (IMITATES FIZZING) buzz it out. Time for your feedback now, and on the issue of the state house and Tematas. Hayley says... Katherine writes... Paul says... Don't hold back (!)