With 98 days to go despite large parts of the electorate being very grumpy the polls are neck and neck and Labour can still win. This is what they have to do.
“Right now, the rental market more closely resembles a game of monopoly than a public good – and it’s landlords who hold all the cards. This didn’t happen by accident. For decades, governments have made rules to prioritise those who own property and failed to protect people who rent.”
“All four residents came down sick within the week and stayed sick until we moved out. Three of us could not move out until the end of the lease, which took two months. Two of the residents had throat swabs done, both coming back with lung infections of bacteria primarily found in the intestines.”
Debt is the most destructive and addictive form of economic behaviour we have in New Zealand. And mortgages are New Zealand’s very high grade heroin and we are being forced to come down off a most spectacular high into a rage-inducing forced withdrawal.
The focus groups have spoken. National has performed a complete reversal on the bipartisan changes to the Resource Management Act amendments designed to improve housing supply and introduced only 18 months ago.
Since they’re touted as 2023’s electoral ‘Kingmakers’, it’s time to understand what the Maori Party really want.
As property investors indicate an intention to raise rents, Renters United and 20+ community groups call for a rent freeze in Auckland.
* or is it?
Left wing contrarian Chris Trotter has made some outlandish claims about Jacinda Ardern’s recent conference speech.
The text of an excellent speech given by Kelvin Davis to the Labour Party conference on climate change.
National’s recent press releases show that its approach to politics will be relentlessly negative, with no idea of what it will do as an alternative or how it will fund changes.
Something unusual has happened. Chris Bishop, or as we should now call him Comrade Chris, has come out fully in favour of a vast expansion of the provision of social housing for kiwis.
It is possible that within the next year New Zealand’s housing supply crisis will be resolved.
National’s media spin team is at it again claiming that removing interest rate deductibility for landlords is a “tenant tax” when it is neither a new tax nor for tenants.
The Auckland mayoralty campaign promises to be a fascinating contest between a right winger promising to spend $1.5 million on the campaign and wants to turn sprinklers on the homeless and Efeso Collins who promises to run an inclusive respectful campaign.
The tide of this government is running out. There’s 18 months left in the term. What would you save?
Despite Labour seeing the country through the biggest public health threat seen in the last century and despite improving numbers of houses and a reduction in child poverty some on the left are buying into National’s despair lines. And the issues on which the next election will be fought are becoming clearer.
Where will the votes come from to get Labour a third term?
With Ardern getting a good-old media beat-down, remember here’s how to change a country for good like no one else but Labour can.
Labour are doing the things about the housing crisis they said they would. It’s not working.
ANZ Bank has just announced a $1.92 billion profit for the year to September 30, 2021. This is about 1% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
A year ago we were preparing for the America’s Cup and threading our way through the latest crisis quite well. What will we be planning next year?
The Government’s dramatic action taken over the past 18 months to respond to Covid and the population’s overwhelming support suggests that it should be taking similar drastic action to address poverty and climate change.
Bernard Hickey calls Labour’s inaction a scandal, and it’s hard to disagree.
People who rent their home shouldn’t have to get sick or complain before the safety of their home is tested and guaranteed.
Since real estate is that machine that relentlessly powers our society and most of our economy, it’s already worth checking whether this governments’ recent policy changes are starting to have some of its intended effects.
Anarkaytie writes about the history of the housing crisis in New Zealand and how tiny housing provides some of the solutions.
As we lead up to Budget 2021, there’s much more shape to the whole direction of this government.
National has released its housing policy and the proposals are predictable. Free up more land, loosen up the RMA, and require Councils in high growth areas to urgently review their district plans.
Media has been abuzz with comment about how last election Grant Robertson has backtracked on a promise on not extending the bright line test. Should politicians stick to their pronouncements no matter what? Or should they change their minds if circumstances demand a change in course?
The Government’s housing policy announcements have been attacked by the right and landlords as being an attack on rights and business, and by elements of the left for being too timid. Which suggests that the announcements are quite well pitched.
Labour disappoints again. Individual investment rights trump collective responsibility for people having homes.
I am going out on a limb here but I think that Comrade Chris Trotter suggesting that Jacinda Ardern may resign as Prime Minister may be overhashed.
Over the past week National and the Greens have released housing policy designed to address the country’s current housing crisis. National’s are tired and either reflect what is already happening or reinforce their doctrinal view of the world. The Green’s proposals are more radical and reflect steps that Micky Savage and the First Labour Government took in 1935.
The bright-line test is a red herring and does nothing to deter housing speculation.
Money does not grow on trees, it grows on houses. It is pure magic!
