July 24th 2017

                        Interesting to read in the newspapers,what many already know,that new research indicates New Zealand has some of the worst rates of homelessness in the developed world.

                         The legacy of the John Key government has just carried on. Bill English and Paula Bennett were the ministers in charge of all Social and Housing New Zealand housing  and bear a lot of the responsibly for the crisis that housing has become.They are seen as mean and compassionless  with scant regard for the poor and ordinary New Zealanders,looking for affordable accommodation.Many tenants feel angry and abandoned,as they have been made homeless and having to live in motels where conditions apply as well as cars and the streets.

                              Here in Palmerston North the Royal Hotel has closed down which makes a bad situation worse for those seeking accommodation.With an election only a matter of weeks away,use your vote to change the government as we need affordable housing now. There is no political mileage  in tax cuts they have never delivered for the poor ever.So for the sake of your children and your grandchildren vote for more housing that is affordable.

       

                         

            If You Are  Not Outraged You Are Not Paying Attention

                             With the general election just a matter of weeks away,the new incoming government will have to widen its scope,to overcome the present housing crisis being felt by an increasing number of New Zealander's.The crisis has impoverished many people through being made homeless, the main cause is the lack of affordable housing to rent,and high rental costs.In New Zealand we have have witnessing the end of the state involvement in the provision of state housing and the reintroduction of housing poverty for increasing numbers of tenants.

                               So make you are enrolled to vote and that you use your vote its your most powerful weapon use it,to give the government the message that the housing situation at present is not acceptable.  Your vote counts as tenants,now have the power to change things,remember that and pass it on to your friends and family.

THE  UK ELECTION OUTCOMES  CONCERNING HOUSING  2017.

Tory MP's [ National Party in NZ.] have been evicted from their seats for not taking housing seriously.Theresa May [PM] misjudged the public,her manifesto had more page numbers than spending figures,nothing on the housing crisis in the UK.

Young people rallied around the Labour Party in droves as they had addressed the housing crisis,while the media,had nothing but criticism and scorn for the Labour Party and its leader Jeremy Corbyn. Social media and Corbyn's rallies made people feel that they could be part of something bigger,a better future future for the generations to come a fairer society.

It is the young people who feel the effects of austerity more keenly than most,due to rising costs,exorbitant rents  and many living in poor housing,problems that are an everyday fact  of life for increasing numbers of New Zealanders.The sheer numbers of MP's who are landlords is astounding,which begs the question who do they represent at the end of the day.

In the coming weeks,we have a general election here in NZ.The number of renters in NZ is significant,more renters than home owners in fact.After years of being ignored,abused and taken for granted,they now have the power to change the government.Housing in NZ is in crisis, government policies have failed completely to deliver affordable housing for those seeking accommodation,homelessness is now a fact of life.

Housing New Zealand has been downsized and continues to be sold off to the private sector, this has been a disaster for low income families who are now living in motels and emergency accommodation.Along with the media who go out of their way to stigmatize state housing and their  tenants just add's to the crisis.It should be noted that the [PM ] Bill English and his deputy Paula Bennett were the ministers in charge of Housing New Zealand and social housing for some years and must bear some responsibly for the chaos that is facing housing in NZ today.

So make sure you use your power and vote in the up coming election if you want to see change in the housing system for you and your children and grandchildren,it is that important.

Great to read that the Palmerston North City Council intends to increase its pensioner housing by the construction of another 30 units,starting next year,lets hope it happens as they will be needed.So good on the Palmerston North City Council for leading the way forward in setting standards  for house building.

Down the road in Levin it is a very different story,the Horowhenua  District Council have sold their pensioner housing to The Sisters of Compassion and an investment firm,Willis Bond.The  good sisters and an investment is a strange mix,investment firms are profit driven not community driven.

It will be interesting to follow the outcome of this sale,lets trust that the tenants will still be able to stay in their homes and that the rents remain stable and affordable.

It is plain to see that the local councillors  understand and retain almost nothing on the impact their decision to sell has on the elderly and low income tenants.The infighting at the council  table has to stop, all it has created is a culture of not paying attention to their most vunerable residents,who require councillors with conviction not ego's.

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