July 31st. 2018
Did you know that there will be more,yes more than 1.6 million people in New Zealand who will be 65 or older, that's around about a quarter of the entire population.In the 2006 census showed that around 64% of those aged between 65-69 owned a home,but in 2013 that figure fell to 60%,There were problems in the 2018 census due to going on line for the first time, the numbers engaged in the census seem to have decreased and the results may not be accurate,leaving a higher number of pensioners in need of affordable housing.
There also appears to be an increasing shift for older New Zealanders to provincial and rural areas,this trend is only going to increase in the future.Those few local councils which are still engaged in the provision of accommodation,will require financial support from central government in the provision of pensioner housing stock.Previous low interest loans provided local authorities with assistance to build more needed housing,the provision of low interest loans was good policy as it worked with the goal of building better communities.This policy was disestablished under the Bolger National Government,as they were only interested in market forces in the provision of affordable rental accommodation,the market will provide was their gospel.The sell off council pensioner housing around New Zealand was a scandal and we are now paying the price for these short sighted policies from the then National government.It should be noted that many councils just let their housing stock fall into poor condition whither this was deliberate policy we don't know.
