Written By: - Date published: 11:08 am, July 12th, 2015 - 177 comments
Phil Twyford’s recent announcement on Auckland’s housing crisis raises important issues concerning the inflow of overseas capital into our housing market. But should it have depersonalised the argument?
Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, July 12th, 2015 - 17 comments
The data for the trial Warrant of Fitness scheme for state houses from last year was recently (finally!) released. 80% of them need serious work. 22% didn’t have functioning bathroom and toilet doors. What is going on?
Written By: - Date published: 9:57 am, July 11th, 2015 - 436 comments
The big story this morning is Labour’s analysis of Auckland property purchase data.
Written By: - Date published: 12:56 pm, July 9th, 2015 - 105 comments
This is a good example of a policy win from opposition. More please!
Written By: - Date published: 11:51 am, July 8th, 2015 - 96 comments
A Christchurch blanket bank has run out of blankets, in this the “seventh year of the brighter future”…
Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, July 2nd, 2015 - 25 comments
The Social Housing Reform (Transaction Mandate) Bill allows designated Ministers to sell off state houses. Currently Housing New Zealand has no such power. Interestingly however this Government could introduce a Bill with criteria to enable sales to be signed off by the CE of Housing New Zealand but instead they are seeking that power for themselves. But within it there is a fishhook for iwi. UPDATE: comment from Turei and response from Bennett
Written By: - Date published: 2:56 pm, June 29th, 2015 - 58 comments
John Key’s interview on Morning Report this morning suggests that National does not know what it is doing with its social housing policy. Are we approaching a situation where profits from New Zealand social housing is going to underwrite the cost of Australian social housing?
Written By: - Date published: 10:29 am, June 28th, 2015 - 20 comments
English needs to explain why the government can’t find NZ buyers for their “social housing” plans. The Nats to explain how selling state houses helps a single family in need.
Written By: - Date published: 7:23 am, June 25th, 2015 - 73 comments
Step 1: Make welfare assistance almost impossible to obtain. Step 2: Dismiss the concerns of the poor by telling them they should ask for more help. Done!
Written By: - Date published: 7:27 am, June 24th, 2015 - 81 comments
… then prepare for it to get a lot worse.
Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, June 23rd, 2015 - 11 comments
I/S at No Right Turn: “Since coming to power in 2008, the National government has sold more than a thousand state houses and tightened access to the remainder considerably. The net result? People not getting the assistance they need…”
Written By: - Date published: 7:11 am, June 17th, 2015 - 139 comments
Trickle down economics is pronounced dead by the IMF. Housing, the working poor and the economy – the policy settings are wrong everywhere.
Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, June 16th, 2015 - 40 comments
You’ll never guess!
Written By: - Date published: 7:59 am, June 16th, 2015 - 20 comments
The Herald has reported that, contrary to John Key’s assurances that the Government did not have to do so, one of the pieces of land set aside for the Government’s affordable housing partnership with private developers has already been offered to iwi under right of first refusal.
Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, June 16th, 2015 - 243 comments
Auckland has an urgent deficit of 20,000 to 30,000 houses. Meanwhile 22,000 houses are sitting empty. Behold the efficiency of the market!
Written By: - Date published: 7:51 am, June 15th, 2015 - 60 comments
Ngati Whatua and Waikato-Tainui have announced that they will seek a declaration from the High Court on their rights to participate in the constructing of social housing on Crown land in Auckland. Their proposal that the Crown joins with them in making a joint application is a good one. Surely Nick Smith will agree to this.
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, June 15th, 2015 - 69 comments
Even under the best assumptions National’s “affordable” houses in Auckland are not actually affordable for the average paid worker. Nick Smith is dreaming.
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, June 14th, 2015 - 43 comments
This is the true irony of National governments. Their entire platform is one of “fiscal responsibility” and “good economic management” yet time and time again they spend money the way I did when I was a teenager: false economies and short-term wish fulfilment.
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, June 14th, 2015 - 45 comments
The death of Emma-Lita Bourne is not just a personal tragedy for the family: it is an event that should make New Zealand angry with the powerful people in our society who control the purse strings. They are responsible for condemning thousands of children to life-threatening conditions. And they are doing it in our name!
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, June 13th, 2015 - 123 comments
A few stories of recent weeks which show exactly what kind of government we have.
Written By: - Date published: 11:11 am, June 13th, 2015 - 94 comments
There is always a need for rental properties and the idea that there is not enough supply again comes from the inability for people to purchase housing themselves. This swells the demand above and beyond. So should the Government try to stop people becoming landlords? Of course not. But to raise the standard of living that a landlord must provide will slow demand and give better housing
Written By: - Date published: 8:56 am, June 12th, 2015 - 51 comments
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, June 11th, 2015 - 66 comments
In 2013 Nick Smith promised an effective housing WOF. Yesterday he said “People dying in winter of pneumonia and other illnesses is not new.” Has National ever kept a constructive sounding social policy promise?
Written By: - Date published: 10:26 am, June 10th, 2015 - 84 comments
Freeing up Auckland land for private development and sale at market rates isn’t going to cut it.
Written By: - Date published: 5:03 pm, June 9th, 2015 - 127 comments
This should not be happening in New Zealand.
Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, June 9th, 2015 - 71 comments
I/S at No Right Turn: “Any improvement is better than what we’ve got now .. At the same time, we should recognise that this is pathetically weak.”
Written By: - Date published: 10:51 am, June 7th, 2015 - 4 comments
Written By: - Date published: 7:11 am, June 5th, 2015 - 57 comments
The Nats seem determined to buy a fight with iwi over Auckland land, practically challenging them to court action. Do they really think this is going to end well for them?
Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, June 4th, 2015 - 54 comments
Yesterday we covered National’s blunder in not considering Treaty settlement obligations in its plans to free up state land for Auckland housing. Today you can read someone who actually knows what they’re talking about on the issue, check out Professor Geddis’ piece at Pundit.
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, June 3rd, 2015 - 90 comments
The problems for National’s housing plans for keep coming, with Ngati Whatua pointing out that it has first call on the land to be “freed up” under treaty agreements.
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