The government is hiking the amount 84,000 social housing tenants have to pay, leaving them about $30 worse off each week.
Social housing and support services are bewildered and blindsided by changes they say will make life worse for thousands of the country's poorest tenants.
The government is increasing the accommodation supplement for 111,000 low income renters by an average of $15.
That will be paid for by hiking the amount 84,000 social housing tenants have to pay - from 25 percent of their income to 30 percent - leaving them about $30 worse off each week.
Ministers said the current system was unfair because some private renters had a worse deal than social housing tenants.
