Al Jazeera on NZ homeless – watch it and weep

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, August 6th, 2016 - 291 comments
Categories: class war, housing, human rights, journalism, poverty - Tags: , , , , ,

Al Jazeera: Once a pioneer of the social welfare state, New Zealand now has over 40,000 people who are homeless, forced to live in their cars and in garages as a result of rapid house price and rent rises and a shortage of social housing. Al Jazeera correspondent Tarek Bazley visits South Auckland and meets two families – one with six children living in a derelict garage, the other who lived with three teenagers for months in their car – and charts the country’s fall from and egalitarian society to one with deep divisions of wealth

291 comments on “Al Jazeera on NZ homeless – watch it and weep ”

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  1. Paul 1
    6 August 2016 at 7:56 am

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    • ropata 1.1
      6 August 2016 at 8:47 am

      But he has also made a lot of people very rich. “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”

      • Paul 1.1.1
        6 August 2016 at 8:53 am

        Yes, New Zealand has become since the 1980s a country increasingly of the haves and have nots.

        It’s paradise for the rich, as told to us by Hosking, Henry and the son of Key.

        • mosa 1.1.1.2
          6 August 2016 at 3:05 pm

          NZ has sadly caught up with the rest of the world and now under this governments policies has entrenched destitution where there is no escape for the poor and low and moderately paid with the middle class only a heartbeat away from joining the burgeoning poverty class where things can change in an instant and only credit card debt is keeping them afloat and is supplementing poor wages and salaries.
          Once proud of our egalitarian heritage which is what the early settlers ,escaping the crushing poverty of England and Ireland wanted too establish in NZ has disappeared under the ravages of the neo lib economic policies all political parties have adhered too for 32 years.
          The Al Jazeera report and the paradise video featuring the current PMs son couldnt be more polarising on the different realities of living in NZ.
          The promises of trickle down ,A brighter future ,equal playing field and the decent society have not turned into reality for most kiwis but we keep voting for the same only its a different face selling the prescription promising it will restore us too health and move us off the critical list.
          The only way to enact real change is too protest and not just 50 or 60 people but hundreds unified and determined and put real pressure on the government with a cross section of kiwis to send a message and a leader to articulate a course of action , really stir things up and galvanise New Zealanders too take part and take their country back.
          There is enough anger too force change that cant like the TPPA protest be dismissed by the usual suspects and fizzle out when people in real numbers come out and say enough.
          Its protest that historically has enacted real change.

        • fisiani 1.1.1.3
          6 August 2016 at 8:46 pm

          Max Key is not a politician. How dare you bring him in to this discussion.

          • r0b 1.1.1.3.1
            6 August 2016 at 9:11 pm

            This blog has been completely circumspect in not posting on Key’s family. However, reposting a video that he has made and released, and in the context of the fevered attention that he gets in the media, is fine. You, on the other hand, are a massive concern troll. Take a month off.

            • Muttonbird 1.1.1.3.1.1
              6 August 2016 at 9:38 pm

              Not before time.

              fisiani has spent the last few days posting links to the National party website and block quoting the marketing information from there.

              There’s been nothing other than that from fisiani and his stablemate srylands who I think will be the next to go.

              Their dismissiveness toward the increasing obstacles put in front of young working people in this country is appalling and fisiani’s banning is well deserved.

              He is an odious human being.

              • reason …
                7 August 2016 at 9:57 pm

                + 100 muttonbird …….. Fisi has been a low grade shit stirrer ever since I first read his troll posts ……

                As an example of his dishonesty….. he used to refer to John key as ‘honest john’ …………..

                It would be interesting to make him and BM have a white disco pants competition … have them both drinking a big glass of john keys 100 % pure fecal contaminated river water …………..

                As a betting man it’s hard to know which of them would spray out the most shit ……….

                Both of them should note John Keys latest achievement …. New Zealand is now an international example of “worst practice” regarding housing security and affordability for its citizen s

                We now lead the world in going backwards ……………….

                http://www.habitat.org.nz/about/the_need_in_nz.html

                As a result of unaffordable housing, overcrowding issues and a poor housing stock 300,000 New Zealand families are living in unacceptable housing conditions.

                New Zealand has some of the least affordable housing in the developed world

                A recent international survey rated housing in New Zealand as severely unaffordable.1 360 Cities worldwide – of which eight are in New Zealand – were surveyed and ranked by affordability. New Zealand ended up at the bottom of the list, with Auckland being most unaffordable (347 out of 360) and Lower North Island slightly better (248 out of 360), but still seriously unaffordable. Even London was considered more affordable than Auckland.

                https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/01/26/hous-j26.html

                • reason …
                  7 August 2016 at 10:00 pm

                  “One in seven, or 203,817, Aucklanders live in overcrowded conditions, including garages.

                  People aged 20-24 are most likely to be affected, while 45.3 percent of Pacific Islanders lived in crowded households last year.

                  Poor housing conditions are a major factor in the spread of infectious illnesses among children, including meningococcal disease, tuberculosis, acute rheumatic fever and respiratory infections.”

                  https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/01/26/hous-j26.html

            • In Vino 1.1.1.3.1.2
              7 August 2016 at 5:25 pm

              This is annoying. You ban him (?) at 9.11am, yet he (?) has comments posted after 1pm. Can you not totally block his (?) repulsive garbage??

          • North 1.1.1.3.2
            7 August 2016 at 7:11 am

            Yes how dare anyone notice the social rot this puppy feasts on. Caught napping on “Air Force One” indeed. Fuck off Fisiani. You’re a dog.

    • George Hendry 1.2
      6 August 2016 at 11:57 am

      Kia ora Paul 🙂

      ‘We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.’

      Why do people on this site occasionally make that statement? What has changed is government policy – they, not we, have done this.

      A government can improve its chances of election by ‘promising’ to be ‘tough on crime’, and many do. Worth noting is that by ‘crime’ is meant crime committed by the poorest and most marginalised, never crime by the wealthy. But that is never said.

      No government gets elected by promising to ‘raise the number of homeless to 40,000 by 2016’ or similar. If they did, and (voter fraud aside) still got elected, then, and only then, would we be able to make the above statement about greed and selfishness.

      ‘John Key and his MPs are cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish’. There, fixed it. They proved that when they voted the Feed The Kids bill down. Please note, WE didn’t vote it down.

      CPAG have been working at this problem for twenty years. Multiple governments have had a chance to pass appropriate legislation AND ALL HAVE REFUSED.

      No one has yet gone anywhere near showing that there would have been a nationwide hue and cry if one of those governments had voted to feed the kids.

      So ,NO. Based on all available evidence we are not that uncaring and selfish. THEY ARE.

      The names of the people who were prepared to vote for what would certainly kill some of our kids are on public record. Takes a bit of getting the head around, but yes, there are some wealthy, well dressed people walking around at liberty, holding responsible positions, who should be getting tried for manslaughter (kidslaughter).

      AND WE KNOW ALL THEIR NAMES.

      JOHN KEY should be on trial for manslaughter.

      BILL ENGLISH should be on trial for manslaughter.

      STEVEN JOYCE should be on trial for manslaughter.

      JUDITH COLLINS should be on trial for manslaughter.

      PAULA BENNETT should be on trial for manslaughter.

      GERRY BROWNLEE should be on trial for manslaughter.

      ETC, ETC, ETC…

      There. That should help start the process of getting the head around it.

      Aotearoa is not cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish. We are not.

      THEY ARE.

      • ropata 1.2.1
        6 August 2016 at 12:00 pm

        “They” are our elected representatives. Those who voted for the party of white collar criminals are also culpable for the suffering of the poor.

        • Colonial Viper 1.2.1.1
          6 August 2016 at 12:07 pm

          How about the lacklustre fractured Opposition who couldn’t seem to get it together to challenge this bunch of “incompetent” “ignorant” NATs?

          • ropata 1.2.1.1.1
            6 August 2016 at 12:23 pm

            Blame Labour in Opposition? Blame Cunliffe for not getting elected? Get real CV.

            If we are going to relitigate history let’s also blame Rogernomics and Ruthanasia for allowing inequality, uncontrolled immigration, asset sales, property speculation to run rampant, all the while pretending to modernise the economy. Worse than anything Muldoon or Clark did.

            • Colonial Viper 1.2.1.1.1.1
              6 August 2016 at 12:31 pm

              Of course you have to blame the Opposition.

              They are being paid millions in tax payer funds to Oppose this “incompetent” “ignorant” National Govt.

              At a time when Kiwis from the under class to the lower middle class are doing it hard, support for the Opposition in the middle of National’s third term should be through the roof.

              • Sabine …
                6 August 2016 at 2:08 pm

                so next time when National is in opposition you will sing the Mantra of “national did it too”

                • Colonial Viper …
                  6 August 2016 at 2:19 pm

                  Oh, not at all. From what I can see, National is fulfilling its responsibilities to its core constituents, the top 5% in this country. Can’t blame them for doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing.

                  • marty mars …
                    6 August 2016 at 4:18 pm

                    You seem to admire them for it.

                    Blaming the opposition is just another head in the sand approach. The electorate is way way more complicated than that, for instance is the 5% the core constituency for the gnats? and how do they sit in relation to the ‘middle’ or the swingers, who like dull pendulums move this way then that, or disaffected labourvoters.

                    I like us to see these sets of voters as part of the holographic 3 dimensional image rather than caricatures we often revert to.

                    • RedLogix …
                      6 August 2016 at 4:33 pm

                      You seem to admire them for it.

                      I think CV’s point is that National are good at what they set out to do; and there is something to be learnt from them, even if none of us here like the outcome.

                      By contrast the Left talks up it’s values and ideals but can’t seem to convince enough people that these mean much in practice.

                      This perceived gap between promise and delivery makes National look relatively competent. Even when objectively they’re bloody awful.

                    • marty mars …
                      6 August 2016 at 5:01 pm

                      yes the old trains run on time argument – truthfully it is illusion – a trick, a sleight of hand based around setting the parameters of the discussion.

                      “By contrast the Left talks up it’s values and ideals but can’t seem to convince enough people that these mean much in practice.”

                      This is patently incorrect – sanders corbyn and so on are proof.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      6 August 2016 at 10:07 pm

                      Sanders folded and Corbyn has yet to deliver in power. Are they really the best exemplars you can come up with?

                      National always strives to fulfill its political commitments to its core constituencies (the top 5% of society), even in the face of popular or media criticism.

                      yes the old trains run on time argument – truthfully it is illusion – a trick, a sleight of hand based around setting the parameters of the discussion.

                      Defining the parameters of the discussion is 90% of politics. You can denigrate it as a cheap conjurers trick if you like.

                      It doesn’t change the fact that it is an unrivalled demonstration of political power and aptitude, when you can continue to define the parameters of the discussion in the face of competing opposition narratives.

                    • marty mars …
                      6 August 2016 at 10:41 pm

                      competing opposition narratives – lol at least you aren’t saying labour is useless like you always do – no, you are saying the gnats are sooo good – sorta destroys the bullshit blame the opposition lines though doesn’t it???

                      “By contrast the Left talks up it’s values and ideals but can’t seem to convince enough people that these mean much in practice.”

                      sanders and corbyn got a lot of support – perhaps not enough but more than enough to offset the line quoted.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      6 August 2016 at 10:54 pm

                      *Shrug*

                      Just look at where Labour 5 was two years through it’s third term. And compare to where National is today.

                    • North []
                      7 August 2016 at 12:34 pm

                      CV is making threads bloody near intolerable. Cheerleading Trump and National as a vehicle for CV’s obssessive bitterness is ludicrous. I guess I’m not really interested in TS anymore. CV has it colonised. Funny that.

                    • marty mars …
                      6 August 2016 at 11:16 pm

                      yep I’d shrug too – good that you are no longer going to lie about the useless opposition and instead you’ll gloat about the efficiency and effectiveness of the gnats – that is a more natural place for you I think.

                  • Paul …
                    6 August 2016 at 4:39 pm

                    National was voted by a million people.
                    That’s not 5%.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      6 August 2016 at 10:10 pm

                      Paul, why are you conflating the core constituency that National serves with the people who vote National.

                  • Leftie …
                    6 August 2016 at 7:02 pm

                    But National lied their way into power Colonial Viper. National never told the voters what they really intended to do.

              • George Hendry …
                6 August 2016 at 7:36 pm

                ‘NZ was first in the world to give women the vote.’

                Just a thought – what if that wasn’t the only thing in the world we were first at?

                What about

                ‘…first to develop a polling system that always has the government rising in the polls just after they do something destructive, and doing it in such a way that, known and proven liars though they are, no one will believe that this crucial thing is also a lie’.

                ???????????????????????????????????????????????

                What if support for the opposition really IS through the roof?

                Wouldn’t it be vital for a corrupt government to try to conceal that?

                Enough chat. PROVE that the polls aren’t faked.

                Go on, prove it. Your argument depends on it.

        • Chuck 1.2.1.2
          6 August 2016 at 3:53 pm

          “Those who voted for the party of white collar criminals are also culpable for the suffering of the poor.”

          That’s about 1.2 million Kiwis you are referring to ropata.

          Maybe you are onto something here; send them all to re-education camps (so they know how to vote next time around or else…). This has the added bonus of freeing up housing for the “educated kiwis left behind”.

      • gsays 1.2.2
        6 August 2016 at 12:57 pm

        hi george, while i admire your sentiments and don’t oppose mps on trial…
        i disagree with you, in that i reckon we have become a “cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation”.

        i say this as we have had a century of marketers and advertisers telling us how important the individual is.

        witness a typical tory response to the aljazeera clip, ‘can’t feed ’em, don’t breed em’, this shows a profound lack of compassion.

        • George Hendry 1.2.2.1
          6 August 2016 at 8:00 pm

          Greetings gsays 🙂

          Thanks for your response.

          I’d rather avoid using the term ‘nation’ in this context as nothing one could say would apply to everyone in it.

      • Paul 1.2.3
        6 August 2016 at 4:38 pm

        Sadly nearly million people voted for this wretched government.
        That’s why I write ‘We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.’
        I didn’t vote them, but the toxic culture has spread to many.

        http://www.elections.org.nz/news-media/new-zealand-2014-general-election-official-results

      • Leftie 1.2.4
        6 August 2016 at 4:38 pm

        Add treason to the list.

    • Leftie 1.3
      6 August 2016 at 4:28 pm

      Keep saying it Paul, because that’s the truth.

  2. Jenz 2
    6 August 2016 at 8:14 am

    Just saw it on the TV this morning, Kudos to AL Jazeera. News reader said at the end of the story that they had approached the minister of social housing for comment but they declined. Shame on the Government this is one of the largest news networks in the world and our government refuses comment, shame on them SHAME

    • Paul 2.1
      6 August 2016 at 8:15 am

      Yup.
      Shame.

    • srylands 2.2
      6 August 2016 at 8:34 am

      It is one of the worst news networks in the world. It is blatantly anti Israel.

      • Paul 2.2.1
        6 August 2016 at 8:37 am

        Are you defending the government’s housing policies?

      • Sabine 2.2.2
        6 August 2016 at 9:24 am

        hahahahahahahah

        you funny.

        can you tell us what israel has got to do with the housing crisis in NZ? Oh ….yeah, nothing.

        but hey they might’ave asked questions, other then ‘would you like to pull my ponytail” 🙂

      • Draco T Bastard 2.2.3
        6 August 2016 at 9:33 am

        Anybody with an ounce of compassion and who is against state terrorism would be against Israel as well.

      • Stuff The Politicians 2.2.4
        6 August 2016 at 10:03 am

        Srylands, are you trying to be ignorant and stupid at the same time ?
        It would appear so.

        Open your eyes and read about Israel and The USA and will see just how idiotic your comments are.
        There are plenty of Documentaries online for you to view, on just how evil these two nations are.

      • Psycho Milt 2.2.5
        6 August 2016 at 10:15 am

        It is blatantly anti Israel.

        So? When I was young, most western media companies were blatantly anti-Soviet Union. This didn’t make them inherently less trustworthy than other media outlets, and the Soviet Union certainly created a lot of opportunities for negative reporting. How is this different?

      • TopHat 2.2.6
        6 August 2016 at 10:28 am

        and that’s bad because?

      • AB 2.2.7
        6 August 2016 at 10:47 am

        “It is blatantly anti Israel.”
        Nope, it’s just not blatantly pro-Israel.

        • Jenz 2.2.7.1
          7 August 2016 at 6:02 pm

          ” it’s just not blatantly pro-Israel ” well said AB that’s it in a nutshell.

          A dear friend of mine lives in Israel, he’s told me exactly like it is over there, we’ve been friends for many years.
          Srylands your words are blatant lies, media suppression is huge in Israel, for a reason, their spin machine works hard on a global scale.

          AJ has one of the best news media round ups around, 7:30am on a Sunday is The Listening Post, this weeks episode was about the Coup and the Purge that followed in Turkey. Highly recommend it
          http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/listeningpost/

          As for the suffering in NZ… it’s time for a change

      • AmaKiwi 2.2.8
        6 August 2016 at 10:49 am

        Srylands is trolling.

        If you don’t like the message, divert attention by changing the subject.

        Bugger off Srylands. The topic is homelessness and poverty.

      • D'Esterre 2.2.9
        6 August 2016 at 3:00 pm

        Maryland’s: ” It is blatantly anti Israel.”

        You say that as if it’s a bad thing…

      • Leftie 2.2.10
        6 August 2016 at 4:46 pm

        Your attempts to divert attention away from National’s shame hitting the world’s headlines won’t work Srylands.

        • Chuck 2.2.10.1
          6 August 2016 at 5:32 pm

          Leftie a piece of advice to you: New Zealand to the World is a pretty good place to call home.

          Just because you get your knickers in a twist about Al Jazeera doing a piece on NZ homeless, does not mean the rest of the World gives a hoot.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 2.2.10.1.1
            6 August 2016 at 5:42 pm

            It’s been widely reported all over the world. If anything Al Jazeera are late to the party.

            Let the facts grate against your firmly held rote-learned drivel, then let the drivel wash over you again. You’ll find a way to reject the facts just as soon as you learn your new lines.

    • Leftie 2.3
      6 August 2016 at 4:40 pm

      Bennett would have hated being outed as a beneficiary.

      • emergency mike 2.3.1
        6 August 2016 at 5:20 pm

        “Excuse me Minister, there is a journalist from Al Jazeera here who wanta to talk to you about homelessness in NZ.”

        “Shit! Bugger it. Get me John Key on the phone sweetie, then call the SIS. I’ll be under my desk. Tell the reporter I’m busy finding ways to push more people off benefits to make the boat go faster and let’s make America great again.”

        “How about I just say you’re busy?”

        “Yes yes. Pretty please. And a salmon croissant. Thankquuuuu!”

  3. srylands 3
    6 August 2016 at 8:33 am

    It is not a reliable media outlet. It is anti American and especially anti Israel. Anyone can find people living in cardboard boxes and extrapolate those few into a horror story.

    The current situation with Auckland housing inflation is very bad for the country. I wait in vain for the Labour Party to promote solutions. Al Jazeera pimping the poor is not helpful.

    • b waghorn 3.1
      6 August 2016 at 8:38 am

      oh the nats must be worried about this one if you’ve got in early to lie and divert.

    • Paul 3.2
      6 August 2016 at 8:40 am

      Anyone can find people living in cardboard boxes and extrapolate those few into a horror story.

      Not difficult to find people in cardboard boxes, when a recent University of Otago study puts that number of homeless at 40,000.
      Shame on you for having the energy to defend this wretched government’s uncaring attitude to the poor.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11650103

      • Leftie 3.2.1
        6 August 2016 at 4:47 pm

        Heaps of plus 1’s Paul.

      • jcuknz 3.2.2
        7 August 2016 at 10:15 am

        Anyone who took the Otago Uni report as more than immature and biased twaddle is lacking common sense and I suspect AlJ is basing their story on it ???
        Shame that AJ fell for it … but even the best stumble at times.

        • Stuart Munro 3.2.2.1
          7 August 2016 at 9:01 pm

          Yep – those crazy academics and their peer reviewed studies – your ‘common sense’ rebuts that every time.

        • left_forward 3.2.2.2
          8 August 2016 at 12:06 pm

          Just a bunch of intellectuals at Otago Uni, eh junck? Sooo immature. And it’s sooo biased when a newspaper has to go to a university for expert twaddle – what next???

    • One Anonymous Bloke 3.3
      6 August 2016 at 8:52 am

      Can you provide examples of bias?

      Your vanity is one thing; are you lying about lack of policy because you’re lazy or a moral vacuum, S Rylands?

      Green Party housing policy

      NZLP ditto.

      • srylands 3.3.1
        7 August 2016 at 3:39 pm

        I suggest that you refer to me as “srylands”. I have lodged yet another complaint about your behavour.

        Why do you persist in this rudeness?

    • Jenz 3.4
      6 August 2016 at 9:31 am

      AJ is one of the most outspoken and trusted main stream news sources on the planet. Following news is a weakness of mine, as a result one watches and listens to many different sources. AJ is brilliant, they dont often do stories on NZ, but our housing crisis, homeless situation and current economic environment is a tragedy inflicted upon us by the current government and something the world needs to know about. Especially before more people come to live here.

      • srylands 3.4.1
        7 August 2016 at 3:52 pm

        Al Jazeera is owned by the Government of Qatar. Sworn enemies of Israel. Qatar is run by religious extremest depots. And you think their media outlet is cool?

        That is the Left all over. Happy to turn a blind eye to murderers and despots.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 3.4.1.1
          7 August 2016 at 3:56 pm

          a Doha-based state-funded broadcaster owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network, which is partly funded by the House of Thani, the ruling family of Qatar

          Source: Wikipedia.

          That is S Rylands all over: telling half-truths and forgetting his political links to Augusto Pinochet.

        • Paul 3.4.1.2
          7 August 2016 at 4:06 pm

          Relevance to the housing crisis?

        • reason 3.4.1.3
          8 August 2016 at 12:53 am

          Srylands is the only loser I know who has admitted donating money to the whale oil news service web site ……….

          He was paying whale oil because he loved the content ……

          So we all know his tastes and standards in news media are shit mixed with bile ……

          I’ve heard Slater is changing his name to slaterberg ………… so he can move to israel and steal a Palestinians house or orchard if Srylands donations to him dry up.

    • ianmac 3.5
      6 August 2016 at 9:32 am

      srylands can you identify one untrue item on the video?

    • spikeyboy 3.6
      6 August 2016 at 9:33 am

      Israel and USA are two of the most agressive states on the planet. Criticism of their terrible acts of aggression indicates good, courageous journalism rather than the reverse

    • Draco T Bastard 3.7
      6 August 2016 at 9:50 am

      Yeah, I get the feeling that the real reason that you’re against AJ is because they highlight the failures of your ideology and the truth of that failure upsets you.

    • david 3.8
      6 August 2016 at 11:17 am

      It is a reliable media outlet and arguably more so than the capitalist driven Fox News, CNN and Sky. Even if it were anti-American (which i don’t think it is), that hardly makes AJ unreliable.

      Al Jazeera shows things as they are. Many of us choose to turn a blind eye but we have high levels of poverty in NZ and massive inequality – look at the difference between Otara and Remuera -is that not a massive difference?

      Instead of being in denial, why don’t we do something about our poverty and homelessness? That is what some of our great leaders such as Julius Vogel and Micky Savage did. They didn’t sit around and pass the buck and blame others for our current problems like the Gnats do. They were up for the challenge and were bold and brave, not like our current leaders who are more interested in preserving their elite position than helping ordinary people.

      • Garibaldi 3.8.1
        6 August 2016 at 1:41 pm

        David you are dead right in what you say but if you are replying to srylands then forget it – he doesn’t do reason.

    • Stuart Munro 3.9
      6 August 2016 at 12:19 pm

      It’s actually quite good – modelled on the BBC and employs many kiwis who’ve fled John Key’s cruel and stupid neoliberal nightmare.

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 3.10
      6 August 2016 at 1:17 pm

      Yep, AJ is often better than most.

      But Srylands’ main concern is to divert from the important topic of the post.

    • Foreign waka 3.11
      6 August 2016 at 3:48 pm

      Two wrongs do not make one right. To step away whilst pointing the finger, remember – 3 are pointing back at you.

    • D'Esterre 3.12
      6 August 2016 at 4:49 pm

      Srylands: ” anti American and especially anti Israel”

      Accusations of that sort are just name-calling, and suggest that you’re fresh out of a countervailing argument.

      • Stuart Munro 3.12.1
        7 August 2016 at 9:05 pm

        I wonder if srylands has guilty knowledge of some State of Israel connection with the Gnats and the housing debacle. Wouldn’t be like either of them to manipulate a property bubble in another country at all at all – and they went out of their way to rescue a stranded Whale.

    • Leftie 3.13
      6 August 2016 at 4:59 pm

      Labour and the other opposition parties have been promoting solutions, as you well know Srylands, obviously that’s what worries you more, rather than the plight of Kiwis being homeless. Why aren’t you calling on National? After all, National is the current government, they are the ones that are in a position to enact change.

    • Jenz 3.14
      7 August 2016 at 6:09 pm

      AJ tells the world about media suppression, diversion, distraction etc etc, it’s no wonder you don’t like it Srylands, people actually find out the real story on that channel, heaven forbid that they learn your tricks and see through your attempts.

      As for waiting for solutions to the housing crisis and homelessness, there are ideas a plenty from the opposition parties. There is just no clue from the Government about how to solve a problem they created. And national is too arrogant to even work with other parties to find an answer, they are not into cross party brainstorming on a number of matters, not just homelessness.

      Time for a change

  4. Keith 4
    6 August 2016 at 8:39 am

    1, This government is broke from tax cuts, selling off revenue earning SOE’s and debt servicing to make up for the lost revenue.

    2, Selling off State houses brings in badly needed revenue.

    3, National despise or in the very least have no respect for people who are not wealthy and who don’t vote.

    4, Whilst taking a chainsaw to social services and making access to them difficult to appease core National voters and Newstalk ZB listeners, National never saw nor probably cared where this would end up.

    5, As mentioned, many people living in cars WORK! Thats right National voters, not your stereotypical dole bludger you bigots love to fantasize over, no, people who work for a living. Does that ruin your fun just a little?

    6, How is this “The Brighter Future”?

    7, How good does it feel that this is international news?

    8, How truly pathetic is Paula Bennett?

    • Paul 4.1
      6 August 2016 at 8:45 am

      Solutions and answers to your questions.

      1. Tax the rich and force multinational corporations to pay their due.
      2. Build a lot more state houses.
      3. Abolish private schools so the children of the rich learn to live alongside the rest of society.
      4. Break the power of corporate media.
      5. Make a living wage a legal requirement and minimum standards and set maximum rental fees a law.
      6. People need to be educated so they don’t fall for advertising slogans.
      7. Hopefully an international spotlight will bring pressure to bear.

      • Stunned mullet 4.1.1
        6 August 2016 at 8:52 am

        🙄

        • Paul 4.1.1.1
          6 August 2016 at 8:57 am

          Another defender of this government’s ruthless treatment of the poor.
          Shame on you.
          Why don’t you watch this?

      • srylands 4.1.2
        6 August 2016 at 8:54 am

        Yeah. They aren’t solutions. They are communist fantasies. New Zealanders aren’t going to elect a communist government.

        Can you give me a plan that has some electoral credibility? Here are some starters. They include housing but go a little beyond.

        Implement all the NZPC recommendations on housing affordability.

        Make climate change policies front and centre of the Government with an economy wide carbon price and the promotion of integral international emissions trading.

        Increase the retirement age to 70.

        Quality early childhood education for poor kids at scale.

        Introduce multiple providers in schooling on a very large scale.

        • Paul 4.1.2.1
          6 August 2016 at 8:58 am

          Taxing the rich and forcing corporations to pay tax is not a ‘communist fantasy’.
          It’s straightforward Social Democratic policy.
          Do you actually know what communism is?

          Whereas, we do know that the extreme neo-liberal policies imposed on the world since the 1980s have failed all but the super rich ( whom you are defending)
          It is not communist to offer some solutions.

          Here are some others

          • framu 4.1.2.1.1
            6 August 2016 at 9:06 am

            the funny thing is – what sly hands calls communism, ideologically isnt that far from what saw the greatest rise in living standards in the USA, ever

            • AB 4.1.2.1.1.1
              6 August 2016 at 10:51 am

              Totally – Srylands “communism” was mainstream social democracy 50 years ago and his ideas would at that time have been dismissed as marginal lunacy.
              Say it over and over again everyone, it’s the current status quo that is radical and extreme

        • One Anonymous Bloke 4.1.2.2
          6 August 2016 at 9:01 am

          Yawn. ACT are a shit party with shit policy that has done nothing but fail and foster misery. You are the problem. Stop leeching off the taxpayer and get a real job.

          • framu 4.1.2.2.1
            6 August 2016 at 9:04 am

            theyve also got the highest % of criminals (fun with stats and all that 🙂 )

        • framu 4.1.2.3
          6 August 2016 at 9:03 am

          its a shame we know your not trolling. That would at least be some sort of excuse

        • Draco T Bastard 4.1.2.4
          6 August 2016 at 10:01 am

          Yep, typical RWNJ give money to the rich ‘solutions’ that are what’s causing the problem in the first place.

        • Colonial Viper 4.1.2.5
          6 August 2016 at 10:26 am

          Ahhh the old shitlands is back in force.

          1) Drop the retirement age to 60.
          2) Implement a guaranteed jobs programme for all under 30.
          3) UBI of $275 pw.
          4) Shut down all carbon trading schemes. Simply cut back the usage of fossil fuels throughout the country, year on year. Including eliminating 50% of all plane flights.
          5) 50% tax on property capital gains if sold within 18 months of purchase; 25% if sold within 48 months of purchase.

          • Paul 4.1.2.5.1
            6 August 2016 at 4:40 pm

            Sounds good.
            And srylands will call it trotskyite.

            • Colonial Viper 4.1.2.5.1.1
              7 August 2016 at 6:17 pm

              Breaking capitalism before it breaks the planet is not all that hard. Worship of financial capital and of money needs to be undermined at every turn. Faux happiness through consumerism shown for the false idol that it is. The superficial sense of security in having big electronic numbers in computerised accounts, slashed.

              A pevasive humanity and humility returned to societal dealings.

              Who is willing to take these steps?

        • Stuart Munro 4.1.2.6
          6 August 2016 at 12:21 pm

          Education is not cheese – scale is no guarantee of productivity.

        • Brian Smith 4.1.2.7
          6 August 2016 at 6:36 pm

          Srylands definition of Communism- ‘government intervention’ !!

        • Foreign waka 4.1.2.8
          7 August 2016 at 10:10 am

          Ahhh yes, the red under the bed. Meanwhile, people are actually dying on the health waiting list, families living in cars, beggars are being moved on etc… for god sake cant you see what is going on?
          People working til 70? Really ? Are we ringing the new Dickinson age in?

          The fact that a report from Al Jazeera is getting this on screen should make you think that NZ is completely out of step with the sentiment around the globe.

      • UncookedSelachimorpha 4.1.3
        6 August 2016 at 1:20 pm

        Paul@4.1: Sounds pretty good!

    • ropata 4.2
      6 August 2016 at 9:02 am

      1 SOE sales help the wealthy to make more money off ordinary kiwis.
      2 State house sales help the wealthy to make more money off ordinary kiwis.
      3 Who cares about poor non voters? only a “bleating rent a mob” (and worldwide media)
      4 so what, mike hosking has a cool haircut
      5 capitalism working as designed
      6 pretty cool for property flippers and wealthy banksters
      7 time to crank up the dirty politics PR machine
      8 she is logical, there is no political gain to be made here. the best approach is to sweep it under the carpet (40000 people should just shut up)

    • Draco T Bastard 4.3
      6 August 2016 at 9:55 am

      Selling off State houses brings in badly needed revenue.

      No it doesn’t. It actually decreases it as the government will no longer have the income from those houses. Same as it no longer has the income from the power companies. Throw in the fact that if those houses stay as social housing then the government will be propping up the rents to full market rents for the new landlords.

    • david 4.4
      6 August 2016 at 11:19 am

      Re: point 8, maybe they didn’t have an answer to Al Jazeera. The emperor has no clothes.

    • Leftie 4.5
      6 August 2016 at 5:01 pm

      Well said Keith.

  5. mary_a 5
    6 August 2016 at 9:17 am

    NZ’s shameful “Blighted Future” is out there for the world to see.

    Well done Al Jazeera for exposing the uncaring NZ establishment, which disguises itself as the people’s government, where all is good and well and all citizens are happy and content. For Key’s cronies that is!

    Damn disgraceful situation, when we once led the world as having one of the best socio/economic systems there was. A time when NZ was envied for it’s social structure, where every citizen was valued for their unique individual worth, not wealth.

    How much lower can NZ possibly sink? Only salvation for impoverished Kiwis I can see, is to get out there and vote venomous Key and his equally toxic mob of traitors out next year!

  6. BM 6
    6 August 2016 at 9:23 am

    Why are we still doing this?, all these people end up in Auckland compounding the housing issue.
    Most are low skilled and add nothing in NZ.

    http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2016/06/pacific-quota-ballot-today-2/

    • Sabine 6.1
      6 August 2016 at 9:27 am

      yeah, we need more low skilled Bar managers , fry cooks, and so on.

      • BM 6.1.1
        6 August 2016 at 9:32 am

        Isn’t it ridiculous, 2000 people per year get the equivalent of a ” NZ Green card” to come and live in NZ.

        And they all end up in Auckland adding to the problem, the government seriously needs to stop this until we get this Auckland housing issue sorted.

        • Colonial Viper 6.1.1.1
          6 August 2016 at 9:56 am

          Winston has it right. Cut immigration back 90% until we significantly change circumstances.

          • BM 6.1.1.1.1
            6 August 2016 at 10:11 am

            I agree with this comment.

            Until we can get our infrastructure sorted so we’re in a position to cope with large levels of immigration then we have to call a temporary halt.

            It’s utter madness to continue down the same path, why National thinks we can carry on with the status quo leaves me scratching my head.

            Personally I think the answer is to get enough people to vote NZ first so their vote is over 10%, then try and get Nationals vote down into the low 40%, that will leave National no other option to go into coalition with NZ First.

            Key will then probably exit politics within the first year handing over the reins to Bill English, a Peters/English combo would probably work quite well and make a few of the changes that are required.

            Key has been good but his time is up and a new approach and a few hard calls need to be made.

            • Colonial Viper 6.1.1.1.1.1
              6 August 2016 at 10:40 am

              we need to get our shit sorted out. Wait until the first serious waves of climate refugees from Asia Pacific islands and coastal regions start knocking on our doors.

              It’ll only be 20 or 30 years.

            • marty mars 6.1.1.1.1.2
              6 August 2016 at 11:10 am

              Until we get our infrastructure sorted – this is bogus because it never is sorted because change is constant. So forget this line, it means nothing however any attempt to improve our infrastructure for refugees is a positive thing imo.

              • BM …
                6 August 2016 at 11:13 am

                So you want to keep immigration at its current levels, more the merrier?

                You don’t think it would make sense to put the handbrake on for the next five years allow housing, etc to catch up?

                • marty mars …
                  6 August 2016 at 12:28 pm

                  Housing won’t catch up least not unless they sort out the actual problem, which they won’t because it is too hard especially for capitalists.

                  Meanwhile the usual scapegoats get beat on by the opposite of the hero.

              • Colonial Viper …
                6 August 2016 at 11:33 am

                I’m far away down in Dunedin. I don’t particularly care if Auckland get another 30,000 immigrants this year, next year and the year after. Good luck to them. And also the Kiwis competing against them for accommodation.

                But I would advise an alternative strategy if at all possible.

                • marty mars …
                  6 August 2016 at 12:33 pm

                  So you don’t care, so what.

                  I have gratitude for people living here – top to bottom and side to side and the people of Auckland. We are all connected often not even 2 degrees of separation. It is actually 1 waka.

                  • Foreign waka …
                    7 August 2016 at 10:43 am

                    🙂 Best comment.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    7 August 2016 at 6:24 pm

                    Nah, you don’t care with intelligence marty mars. If you cared with intelligence you’d support real change. Not this ridiculous tens of thousands immigration growth flooding Auckland year after year after year.

                    • marty mars …
                      7 August 2016 at 6:40 pm

                      Oh dear what a ninny you are.

                      care with intelligence – or in other words agree with you

                      So you who says, “I don’t care” think I don’t care even when I’ve said I do care – that is the level of your debate mate – idiotic roundaboutitis

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      7 August 2016 at 8:20 pm

                      You want the population of an already overstretched Auckland to continue to grow by tens of thousands per year. I don’t.

                      You want a substantial debate? Let’s go.

                    • marty mars …
                      7 August 2016 at 8:45 pm

                      You want to put words in my mouth to suit your argument so that your ego can expand in an already dangerously overcrowded, overstretched neighborhood, I don’t. Argue that denierliker

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      7 August 2016 at 8:50 pm

                      Fine, go ahead then. I’m happy for you to state your position on Auckland’s immigration and population growth in your own words.

                      Me: I’m largely against it.

                      Now, your turn.

                    • marty mars …
                      7 August 2016 at 9:05 pm

                      That’s nice that you’re happy for me to use my own words.

                      This is what you said

                      “I don’t particularly care if Auckland get another 30,000 immigrants this year, next year and the year after. Good luck to them. ”

                      why do you now want to have a discussion about something you don’t care about??? – this isn’t a climate change thread buddy.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      7 August 2016 at 9:23 pm

                      I see you got hung up on a sentence fragment “I don’t particularly care” and then turned your brain off.

                      In context, this i what I said:

                      I’m far away down in Dunedin. I don’t particularly care if Auckland get another 30,000 immigrants this year, next year and the year after. Good luck to them. And also the Kiwis competing against them for accommodation.

                      But I would advise an alternative strategy if at all possible.

                      Emphasis mine. Now, I’m ready for you to use your own words, to describe your own position on continued population and immigration growth in Auckland.

                      I’m largely against it.

                      Please go ahead.

            • Leftie 6.1.1.1.1.3
              6 August 2016 at 5:07 pm

              Fudger and cook the books Bill “double dipper” English has already had his turn BM, he led National to it’s worse election defeat in 2002 with only just 20.93%. Why, as a National sycophant, would you want a repeat performance?

          • stunned mullet 6.1.1.1.2
            6 August 2016 at 10:16 am

            Hard to argue that Winston doesn’t have a reasonable position on immigration in the current environment.

        • Sabine 6.1.1.2
          6 August 2016 at 2:11 pm

          you must quickly write an email or letter to the National Party. While surely someone will tell us that “labour did it too” i would like to point out that currently its “National doing it” 🙂

      • stunned mullet 6.1.2
        6 August 2016 at 9:37 am

        False dichotomy with a hint of bigotry on the side..

    • stunned mullet 6.2
      6 August 2016 at 9:36 am

      Because anyone who axed it would be tagged a racist and more importantly they’re likely terrified to loose a large percentage of the pacifica vote in Auckland.

      But Yes, it is absurd and patronising to have such quotas still in existence.

      Some MPs have waded in previously.

      http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/301410/calls-for-change-after-samoan-quota-revelations

    • mauī 6.3
      6 August 2016 at 10:17 am

      Surprised to see another douche comment from you… But hey the pacific peoples have built much of Auckland for decades and prop you up by taking up the bottom spaces of the ponzi scheme, and excel in our national sport. Conveniently forgotten.

      • marty mars 6.3.1
        6 August 2016 at 10:23 am

        bm doesn’t care about our Pacific friends – hes a typical gnat supporter only seeing the negative.

        • Colonial Viper 6.3.1.1
          6 August 2016 at 10:48 am

          Sure let’s keep inviting more people into Auckland and let’s put more of them in cars and garages. 40,000 is not enough.

          • marty mars 6.3.1.1.1
            6 August 2016 at 10:58 am

            In a simplistic worldview perhaps, reality is different thank goodness.

            • Colonial Viper 6.3.1.1.1.1
              6 August 2016 at 11:37 am

              you’re the one not paying attention to reality. But whatever. Like I said below, although I advise against filling Auckland up with more people, and more million dollar housing, they can go ahead and do whatever they like.

              • marty mars …
                6 August 2016 at 12:36 pm

                You’re sounding more like the don daily,

                • Colonial Viper …
                  6 August 2016 at 2:02 pm

                  Like I said, I’m in Dunedin, Auckland can go do whatever it likes. It, along with every other mega city on this planet, will not survive the end of fossil fuels. So another ~40 years, tops.

      • Leftie 6.3.2
        6 August 2016 at 5:09 pm

        +1 Mauī

    • mary_a 6.4
      6 August 2016 at 10:22 am

      @ BM (6) … you say …

      “Most are low skilled and add nothing in NZ.”

      Such a nasty mean spirited attitude comes through your post! Pity you feel like this towards your fellow Kiwis.

      Low skilled workers most definitely add to the value of NZ! They do work possibly you or I wouldn’t do, such as cleaning toilets and streets, clearing away rubbish etc etc, their efforts making a great contribution to NZ.

      And let’s not forget either, many are poorly paid for their efforts in trying to make NZ a safer and cleaner place for us to live.

      Some respect please for the low skilled workforce.

      • BM 6.4.1
        6 August 2016 at 10:50 am

        We have enough home grown low skilled people we don’t need to import more.

        • Stuart Munro 6.4.1.1
          6 August 2016 at 3:45 pm

          Yep – Gnat ministers being prime examples – a justice minister who’s crookeder than most in prison – a housing minister who builds excuses – an education minister who needs to go back to school – and a finance minister so stupid he imagines migration and borrowing can cover his failures. The Islanders are infinitely better citizens.

          • BM 6.4.1.1.1
            6 August 2016 at 3:51 pm

            More drivel.

            • Stuart Munro 6.4.1.1.1.1
              6 August 2016 at 4:06 pm

              You’re also a fine example of low skill – a distinctly third rate troll determined to thrust his ill-informed views down the throats of people trying to rebuild NZ from the wreckage wrought by the Key kleptocracy.

              • Chuck …
                6 August 2016 at 7:29 pm

                “a distinctly third rate troll determined to thrust his ill-informed views down the throats of people trying to rebuild NZ from the wreckage wrought by the Key kleptocracy.”

                First rule of thumb for a revolution Stuart, is that you need to have onside the majority of your fellow countrymen/women.

                You do that by showing leadership and viable alternatives…not hate and loathing that seems to be you go to line.

                • McFlock …
                  6 August 2016 at 7:34 pm

                  thanks for your concern

                • locus …
                  6 August 2016 at 8:01 pm

                  Chuck – the problem here is not the passion of the debate about the disgraceful record of this government regarding housing… the problem is that you seem to think that everyone who disagrees with your perspective is filled with “hate and loathing”

                  Open your eyes – there are an increasing number of NZers who are homeless or living in overcrowded unfit housing due to the policies of this government.

                  Trying to have a meaningful debate about solutions to the current housing crisis, is not helped by comments that are unquestioningly partisan towards this government, nor is it helpful or constructive when commentors frame anyone questioning the current government’s record as “hate and loathing” – or who frame any kind of considerate social welfare policy as “communist”

                  • Chuck …
                    7 August 2016 at 7:56 pm

                    locus, yes by all means lets have a meaningful debate.

                    I have posted else where today showing that today’s issues of homeless, overcrowding have been around for a long time.

                    This Government has made mistakes and taken too long to come down hard (for example on Auckland Council). No argument from me on that…however does the opposition have a magic wand? or been able to demonstrate they can deliver on their ideas? no.

                    To be called a RWNJ does bring a smile to my face…but if it provides a comfort blanket to certain commentators here, then its ok with me.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      7 August 2016 at 9:46 pm

                      Yawn. “But but but but but LLLLaaaaaabbbboooouuuurrrrr” has become but but but but but Auckland Cccccooooouuuuunnnnnccccciiiilllll

                      Is anyone else sick to death of these miserable unaccountable cry-babies pretending they’re the natural party of government?

                • Stuart Munro …
                  6 August 2016 at 8:39 pm

                  You know Chuck, when I want a revolution RWNJ trolls are probably not going to be my go-to choice as strategy advisors. Perhaps you should consider a career in animal husbandry.

                • Jenz …
                  7 August 2016 at 6:16 pm

                  How to Start a Revolution ?

                  This is the only way, a step by step guide that really works. Much respect to Gene Sharp the man is a genius

      • AmaKiwi 6.4.2
        6 August 2016 at 11:01 am

        If you don’t like low skilled workers, plan to die suddenly because they are essential to maintaining our hospitals and nursing homes.

        Every time I encounter a public toilet cleaner or rubbish collector I go out of my way to say to them, “Thank you. I know this is not the best job in the world and I appreciate you are doing it for us.”

        I am only sorry it’s not in my power to raise their wages.

      • UncookedSelachimorpha 6.4.3
        6 August 2016 at 1:30 pm

        Re BM’s nasty attitude to the non-rich, studies tend to show it is the rich who are selfish and antisocial, not the poor.

        Generally the person letting a homeless family sleep in their living room to help them out…is another poor person.

    • DH 6.5
      6 August 2016 at 10:53 am

      The five people killed in Katikati were all Tongans. They worked in a Kiwifruit packhouse.

      It was also mentioned elsewhere that ballot winners had to get a job here before they received a visa. The ballot only gets them on the list so, no, they don’t all end up in Auckland.

      • BM 6.5.1
        6 August 2016 at 11:03 am

        KIwis can work in pack houses we don’t need to import people to do those jobs.

        This ballot system is ridiculous and should be canned.

        • DH 6.5.1.1
          6 August 2016 at 11:08 am

          Maybe they can but it puts the lie to your claim about them all coming to Auckland doesn’t it.

          You don’t have a history here of being anti-immigration so how about you dry the crocodile tears about jobs being taken by immigrants.

        • Jenz 6.5.1.2
          7 August 2016 at 6:19 pm

          But Kiwis won’t want to pay huge accommodation costs, for not much in return, some of the islanders here that work picking etc in the season are treated so bad. Welcome to Motueka, where they employ islanders so they can rip them off and re pocket the money they pay them for work on the orchards in over priced on site accommodation. True story. Its just not right.

    • AB 6.6
      6 August 2016 at 11:00 am

      Well maybe some/many of them were born here, children and grandchildren of the people brought here when we still had a sizeable manufacturing industry?
      And everybody has skills actually – with training and encouragement and security people get very skilled at all sorts of necessary stuff that keeps a society functioning. Don’t like your anti-human proto-eugenicist sneering mate.

  7. Colonial Viper 7
    6 August 2016 at 9:38 am

    This is a national tragedy and the equivalent of an emergency response is required to sort it.

  8. jcuknz 8
    6 August 2016 at 9:38 am

    I do not think we need anybody let alone the unskilled. The country needs to work itself out of the mess itself without adding more problems.
    edit Even returning Kiwis should need to show they are going to aid/add to the country after deserting it for greener pastures now turning brown.

    • Colonial Viper 8.1
      6 August 2016 at 10:08 am

      Kiwi citizens need to be allowed back as a matter of right. But every one else needs to prove their value to NZ as a person not as a financial instrument. Doesn’t matter how much money they may have as Chinese or Americans or whatever.

      • Sabine 8.1.1
        6 August 2016 at 2:14 pm

        so whats your value that you add to the country?

        do you add any?

        or are you just a bullshitter?

        • Colonial Viper 8.1.1.1
          6 August 2016 at 4:10 pm

          Odd questions from someone who wasn’t even born in NZ.

          • locus 8.1.1.1.1
            6 August 2016 at 7:07 pm

            odd thing to say:

            “every one else needs to prove their value to NZ as a person

            how would you propose setting up this screening process CV, and what if you ‘proved’ your ‘value’ – would your close family members be excluded if they didn’t pass the same criteria

            as for the suggestion that not being born in NZ somehow disqualifies you from challenging an ill-considered statement…..

            i can certainly understand why you might be offended by being challenged by Sabine to explain what value you add to NZ – i mean that’s a pretty mean spirited judgemental thing to ask isn’t it

            • locus 8.1.1.1.1.1
              6 August 2016 at 7:30 pm

              just to be clear – i thought Sabine’s question was sarcasm designed to make you think about how difficult it is to determine how someone is of ‘value to NZ’ ….

          • Foreign waka 8.1.1.1.2
            7 August 2016 at 10:39 am

            And yet, many if not most of those who weren’t are paying their owns way and if possible give some back.

    • RedLogix 8.2
      6 August 2016 at 12:00 pm

      Even returning Kiwis should need to show they are going to aid/add to the country after deserting it for greener pastures now turning brown.

      I can’t get Australian residency and citizenship … and you propose making it difficult for me to live in the country of my birth when I retire. Oh well well most of us can’t vote in either country, so we may as well be rendered totally stateless.

      The Manus Islanders might be happy to take us in. Or not.

  9. save nz 9
    6 August 2016 at 10:01 am

    Just checked Granny – surprise surprise, in spite of their usual extensive coverage of housing especially the Block, NO mention of our international foray… bad news for National is censored.

    Most Read on Granny
    1Let it snow: Temperatures to plunge to record low
    2Katikati horror crash: ‘That’s a decision that cost them their lives’
    3Rug up – winter announces arrival
    4Exclusive: Top stars caught up in Olympic ad standoff
    5Your six most terrifying Donald Trump fears and why they won’t come true

  10. save nz 10
    6 August 2016 at 10:06 am

    But did find this one about property..

    Mary Holm: To keep or sell the rental – it’s tricky

    she recommends sell the rental, and put into Kiwisaver, (no word about …Employers failing Kiwsaver obligations…or housing crisis)

  11. Bill 11
    6 August 2016 at 10:09 am

    I suspect chronic levels of homelessness, an inability to buy and a woeful rental environment (over-priced and insecure) will be the norm these days for any country that treapsed down the neo-classical road to nirvana.

    An observation from the Guardian was that sky rocketing house prices have delayed the crunch for retirees. Many currently have equity they can trade on to augment their pensions. But that won’t be the case in 20 years from now as those retiring will be those who currently can’t buy a home and who are being bled dry by the rental sector.

    In other words, the homelessness we’re seeing now is only the tip of a multi-faceted ice berg.

    My question revolves around how any political party that gives any truck to neo-classical/ neo-liberal/ free market dogma, can ever hope to come up with a comprehensive solution.

    Such parties can maybe come up with part solutions (cheaper first time buyer homes for example), but the whole caboodle stays doggedly on course to have its side ripped out by that berg one way or the other.

  12. save nz 12
    6 August 2016 at 10:30 am

    I’d like to see a political party that trys to get Kiwis back to 75% home ownership, provides social housing for say 15% those for whatever reason may not ever get there, and then have just 15% private rentals.

    What people don’t understand in Auckland also, is that the public transport or the lack of it are really impacting on prices and quality of rents. There is actually a lot of cheaper rentals (used to be houses to buy but they have gone up) out John Key’s electorate way in Rodney. But no public transport out there. Don’t know if that is deliberate (to keep the poor out of his electorate) or what, but paying $400 for a garage in South Auckland is the same as a $400 2 bedroom lifestyle block in Rodney with good schools, but you have to drive everywhere and it’s further out. Huge amounts of new subdivisions are being built there, but again, no public transport servicing it so will be a congestion nightmare when the houses come on stream. They have rail there, too but do not use apart from freight. They deliberately ran a trial with few trains and not running at peak to ‘prove’ there is no demand.

    So the whole unitary plan is a disaster, because one of the main drivers which is public transport is missing in it and they are ignoring that and building more houses in areas that don’t have it. So there maybe cheap houses or rentals coming on stream, but no way to get into the city apart from drive and now they are talking about taxing those driving into work from their cheaper rental or house!

    • Colonial Viper 12.1
      6 August 2016 at 10:50 am

      I’d like to see a political party that trys to get Kiwis back to 75% home ownership, provides social housing for say 15% those for whatever reason may not ever get there, and then have just 15% private rentals.

      Now you’re talking.

    • Brigid 12.2
      6 August 2016 at 1:12 pm

      ” a $400 2 bedroom lifestyle block in Rodney” No. The most basic rental property in Helensville starts at $550. The further south you go the more expensive they are.
      There are no cheap rental houses coming on stream, those that are being built are huge and expensive.
      And yes the public transport from Rodney is woeful. The roads are become more congested daily.

      • save nz 12.2.1
        6 August 2016 at 5:34 pm

        I looked on Trade me and got 47 rentals under $400 – some might be just rooms though and some in Wellsford.

        But you are right the new houses being built are huge and expensive.

        Like the UK, Auckland need to have a high speed trains running every 20 minutes into the CBD from the North and West. They would have to do a park and ride, but that is what Auckland needs more than houses, is reliable cheap and user friendly trains servicing existing housing. People expect to be able to travel in with a coffee and check emails, not all fend for themselves in cars and waste hours of productivity.

        In some sort of joke, the latest is that people from the North have to bus to Waitakere train station to get into the CBD. Yep sounds convenient. sarc.

        The NorthWestern spent millions on the road, but there is no lane for buses and not sure if there is a cycle way or walking track either.

        It’s a joke! Housing is not just about building more houses, if it were that easy we would not have a crisis.

  13. Garibaldi 13
    6 August 2016 at 10:53 am

    The solution to the housing crisis is far more socialism and far less of our failing model of capitalism. The inequalities being promoted by our present policies are starting to hit home. Both Labour and National are responsible ( and the gullible public who fell for Rogernomics).
    Also there can be no progress on cc whilst capitalism rules.

  14. Brian 14
    6 August 2016 at 12:04 pm

    Brighter Future – my arse. Nothing less than shameful what this govt has done.

  15. weston 15
    6 August 2016 at 12:12 pm

    Ithink colectivise is gonna be the only alternative for a lot of people .Bring back the commune and who wants a vastly over priced dogbox in a suberban rat race anyway ?A butt ugly shit hole you are likely to be saddled with the debt of your entire working life .Build your own according to what you can actually afford It will be infinately cheaper and much more satisfying .Give the “system” the bird !!

    • GregJ 15.1
      6 August 2016 at 12:47 pm

      Housing collectives or cooperatives are a feature in Europe and they should be a model that is developed in NZ.

      Another thing that housing in NZ needs is a a way to take out of the mix real estate agents and private developers.

  16. fisiani 16
    6 August 2016 at 1:21 pm

    Thank goodness we have a government taking housing problems seriously and really addressing and actually solving these problems instead of blogging bias and hatred and impotence.
    Instead of being misled by the well know Lefty Tarek Bazley I give you a link to the wonderful broad and successful approach that is appreciated by most of the people.

    https://national.org.nz/features/nationals-comprehensive-housing-plan

    • Draco T Bastard 16.1
      6 August 2016 at 1:29 pm

      More lies and spin from fisiani and National.

      • fisiani 16.1.1
        6 August 2016 at 2:25 pm

        Did you read the link to make such a claim or just prove my point about blogging bias, hatred and impotence.

        • Muttonbird 16.1.1.1
          6 August 2016 at 2:48 pm

          But the National party manifesto which you quote so often has proven to be ineffectual on this. Housing continues to become more unaffordable and a real risk to the economy.

          Everyone agrees on this.

          Time for some real effective policy instead of the John Key government’s reactive fiddling.

          • fisiani 16.1.1.1.1
            6 August 2016 at 3:18 pm

            I’m not quoting the National Party manifesto. I’m quoting National achievements.

            New Zealand has a strong, growing economy. Incomes are rising, there’s more jobs and interest rates are at an around 50-year low.

            That means a family with a $300,000 mortgage is now paying around $300 a week less in interest than they were when we were elected.

            • Michael 16.1.1.1.1.1
              6 August 2016 at 3:37 pm

              And a family who can’t afford a deposit or a mortgage because their purchasing power has been drastically reduced in that time?

            • Stuart Munro 16.1.1.1.1.2
              6 August 2016 at 3:54 pm

              National has a weak moribund economy – median incomes are not rising.

              Interest rates are set globally not locally, but NZ pays a premium of 1-1.5% above what other countries pay – an incompetence surcharge.

              Fine for those who have and can service a $300k mortgage – otherwise not – & not a good environment for their kids either.

              The Key kleptocracy is an expensive failure and a lousy investment.

              • Chuck …
                6 August 2016 at 4:39 pm

                “median incomes are not rising.”

                Median income: 2008 $18.70 and in 2015 $22.83. Each year from 2008 to 2015 shows an increase.

                http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/snapshots-of-nz/nz-social-indicators/Home/Labour%20market/med-hourly-earnings.aspx

                “Interest rates are set globally not locally, but NZ pays a premium of 1-1.5% above what other countries pay – an incompetence surcharge.”

                Interest rates are set according to the risk profile of a Country. S&P affirms NZ’s AA credit rating (March 2016).

                “S&P said the affirmations reflected this country’s monetary and fiscal policy flexibility, economic resilience and public policy stability.”

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  6 August 2016 at 4:49 pm

                  Yes, yes, and I’m also aware that all the credit rating agencies were giving AAA ratings to CDS and other financial instruments right up to the point when they collapsed the global economy.

                • Colonial Viper …
                  6 August 2016 at 5:20 pm

                  Median income: 2008 $18.70 and in 2015 $22.83. Each year from 2008 to 2015 shows an increase.

                  National has been very clever about this, particularly with frequent minimum wage increases.

                  It’s kept them competitive for 2017, even after 3 terms.

                • UncookedSelachimorpha …
                  7 August 2016 at 1:37 am

                  Not adjusted for inflation.

                  You show median income has increased by about 1.9% p.a. in this time….housing costs increased by around 4.5% p.a. nationally – more if you live in Auckland.

            • ianmac 16.1.1.1.1.3
              6 August 2016 at 4:37 pm

              fisiani “That means a family with a $300,000 mortgage is now paying around $300 a week less in interest than they were when we were elected.”
              Is that WE as in we Minister in Key Government?

            • Draco T Bastard 16.1.1.1.1.4
              6 August 2016 at 4:39 pm

              As I said, lies and spin.

              The reality is a massive housing bubble, 40,000+ homeless and more and more people being driven into abject poverty by National’s policies that enrich the already rich.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 16.1.1.1.1.5
              6 August 2016 at 5:20 pm

              If your propaganda could be believed, there would be even less excuse for burgeoning poverty and homelessness.

              • Stuart Munro …
                7 August 2016 at 9:16 pm

                Exactly.

                If we are the rockstar economy sryasslands claims there’s no excuse whatsoever for not greatly increasing the health and social spends and recovering privatised assets.

                But the truth is that this worthless pack of fiscal niwits has NZ on the bones of its ass – and they have to clip every penny and fake all their numbers just to hide their failure .

            • Jeremy 16.1.1.1.1.6
              8 August 2016 at 4:21 pm

              You are taking credit for the independent Reserve Bank’s actions?
              Also, aren’t low interest rates are a sign of a poorly performing economy in need of stimulus?

        • Leftie 16.1.1.2
          6 August 2016 at 5:43 pm

          I read and watched and laughed Fisiani. I know Draco T Bastard is telling the truth.

    • Leftie 16.2
      6 August 2016 at 5:40 pm

      You’re a joke Fisiani and what made me laugh even more at John “mouth full of lies” key, was that he has a framed picture of himself hanging on the wall of what looks like from a cover of a magazine. Surprised it wasn’t the photo of him pretending to be an All Black that disgraced the shelves of all the supermarkets, stores and book sellers around the country during the last election.

    • Keith 16.3
      7 August 2016 at 8:34 am

      Fisiani, either you are deeply sarcastic or a fool!

      That link would be excellent humour were it not such a collection of lies and the results of those lies so damaging. And the Key photos with the 1000 yard stare, what the fuck is that about? Is he thinking how the hell do they keep believing the bullshit that flows from my mouth? Seriously!

      After all the lies over the last 8 years of National, the doctored stats, the empty promises, do they think they can cluster together a bunch of meaningless shit like this but still do NOTHING about immigration of non New Zealanders that is a major contributor to housing problems in Auckland and a major contributor to stalled wage growth?

      Do they think doing next to nothing about speculators is going to solve Auckland or in fact New Zealand’s housing problems and growing debt?

      Do they think selling off state houses or tearing them down is going to house people?

      Do they think we believe it is all the Auckland Councils fault?

      Do they are that more and more money is going into servicing debt and paying rent and nowhere else in our economy is good?

      Do they think anyone can afford a house averaging in Auckland near the million mark? Do they care? No!

      Everything National has done is designed to keep the status quo firmly in place and to keep the bubble inflated past the next election. It is the ultimate in window dressing, PR spin bullshit. None of it is done for for the greater good of this country, rather for Nationals short term preservation.

      Who but a naive simpleton believes anyone who lies as a default and therefore who believes anything from the National Party in 2016?

  17. johnm 17
    6 August 2016 at 2:11 pm

    New Zealand was famous for the right reasons 🙂 Now we’re infamous for the RWNJ reasons! 🙁

    Homelessness
    Destitution
    Privatisation
    Landlordism
    child poverty
    slavish adherence to the failed disaster that is neoliberism
    Our very own slimy leader cult- he can do no wrong!
    U$ vassal
    msm a rwnj echo chamber.
    extreme inequality the list goes on……

    • Reddelusion 17.1
      6 August 2016 at 3:28 pm

      Dribble dribble and more dribble

      30 years ago nz was a white insular society, rugby racing and beer , Everything was regulated even your choice of bread, You needed to get permission to get forgein funds to travel, choice was highly restricted for goods and services, material wealth was vastly inferior to all than now. All his site proves is that there will always be a whinging class no matter what

      • Stuart Munro 17.1.1
        6 August 2016 at 3:56 pm

        30 years ago NZ was manifestly superior in every respect.

      • Colonial Viper 17.1.2
        6 August 2016 at 4:17 pm

        Reddelusion you are celebrating the 10% to 20% of NZers who have done pretty well under the neoliberal system, and ignoring the rest.

        Why are you doing that?

      • joe90 17.1.3
        6 August 2016 at 4:22 pm

        You needed to get permission to get forgein funds to travel,

        Liar.

      • Paul 17.1.4
        6 August 2016 at 4:42 pm

        Another miserable defender of this government’s heartless housing policies.

      • Halfcrown 17.1.5
        6 August 2016 at 5:01 pm

        ” material wealth was vastly inferior to all than now.”

        I disagree with that, sure there was a lot of stupid restrictions, and the licencing system was a farce and a giant bloody fraud, and things had to change, but the quality of the goods manufactured in NZ was far superior than the landfill shit we now import mainly from China.
        Our old ironing board is a good example, built like a brick shithouse, hit the dust the other month. Made by an Auckland company long gone. Bought it from Farmers, remember a hilarious time, half pissed getting this thing down the escalator and then on a bus one late Friday night shopping when we were flatting in Auckland way back in the 70’s. Bought some Chinese crap replacement from Briscoe’s lasted two weeks. Returned the crap. Got our old Ironing board took it round to a a mate who has a sheet metal business, re spotwelded all the welds that have come loose, bought a new cover at a market and now it will last us for another 30 years.
        Something else I remember, everybody was in work, no one was living on the streets or in cars. We have made great progress the last 30 years under this Neo shit haven’t we, Like fuck we have.

        • ropata 17.1.5.1
          6 August 2016 at 5:55 pm

          cars and consumer goods were expensive, roads weren’t flash, PT was dodgy, everything was closed in the weekend
          but
          you knew your neighbours, everyone could fix stuff, there was no unemployment, workers had rights, houses were affordable, you could grow veges in the back yard, NZ was independent and self reliant.
          it was a pavlova paradise.
          tosspots like fisiani, srylands, reddelusion don’t know shit

          • Chuck 17.1.5.1.1
            6 August 2016 at 6:20 pm

            ropata have you started early on the vino??

            “no unemployment” paradise you say…

            http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/the-1980s/overview

            • Halfcrown 17.1.5.1.1.1
              6 August 2016 at 7:53 pm

              I don’t see ropata mentioning the 80’s and do remind me again me ole son, when did Douglas start this Neo shit? wasn’t 84 was it?
              He’s right, cars were expensive so were televisions and clothing and….
              but everybody could afford the RENTS, or house repayments. and you had a chance to earn a reasonable wage and BUY your first home.

              • Chuck …
                6 August 2016 at 8:12 pm

                ropata was replying to the below posts Halfcrown…

                “30 years ago NZ was manifestly superior in every respect.”

                “30 years ago nz was a white insular society”

                You even mention “30 years ago” Halfcrown.

                2016 – 30 = 1986.

                But hey I will let ropata confirm what decade he was referring to, then lets compare again?

                BTW: are you saying there was no homeless or mortgagee sales, everybody that wanted to own a home could etc etc in the 1980’s?

                • locus …
                  6 August 2016 at 10:25 pm

                  Chuck – The point of this report is to reflect on how NZ, a model of a socially responsible society in decades past, now has worsening divisions in society.

                  We are a rich country (purportedly economically successful under this PM) where there is a shameful and shocking increase in the number of homeless families, where there are more and more New Zealanders living in unhealthy conditions, spiralling rents, unaffordable homes, overcrowding and a growing prevalence of social problems that are inherently linked to these housing conditions.

                  Let’s not deflect the discussion from this Nat government’s responsibility for at best ignoring, and at worst creating this housing crisis

                  • Chuck …
                    7 August 2016 at 11:04 am

                    locus, homeless families, unhealthy conditions have just not popped up since this current government has been in power.

                    In the National Housing Commission 5 yearly report table 14.1 (source Percy & Johnson 1988) they reference 17,500 households with children in serious housing needs.

                    That is households…so assume an average of 5 people per household = over 87,000 people in serious housing needs.

                    The above report also said the prevalence of rural homelessness may well have been underestimated in the above numbers.

                    “Let’s not deflect the discussion from this Nat government’s responsibility for at best ignoring, and at worst creating this housing crisis”

                    I agree that the Nat’s should of jumped hard on housing much faster than they have. They should have overrode Auckland Council at the very least in 2014.

                    Properly like you I have seen a number of housing cycles in action. This current one is driven by a large number of factors, one being that NZ is a very desirable place to live (returning kiwis and our Aussie friends joining them).

                    Unless a Government restricts / removes private ownership rights (as some here want) we will always have cycles in the housing market. I would prefer the cycles to be a lot less intense than this current one.

                • ropata …
                  6 August 2016 at 11:02 pm

                  The “Pavlova Paradise” that I was talking about was prevalent in the 1960’s and still going through the 70’s. A few still remember what is possible when people work together and stop the ruling class from stealing everything

                • Stuart Munro …
                  7 August 2016 at 2:02 am

                  In the early eighties unemployment numbers were real jobs – not one hour a week. Rent was low – I remember flatting for $20/week. But above all we didn’t have naked systematic dishonesty in government the way we have now.

                  This is a Forte Main state now – Key is not in prison, not because he isn’t a crook of epic proportions, but because he has suborned our state. Children growing up now will not respect or cooperate with authority because it is visibly, palpably corrupt. What a shameful state NZ has fallen to when a disgusting piece of shit like Key (or Trump) can manipulate their way into power.

                  This is a Dark Age government – it’s as if the enlightenment never happened.

                  • Stunned mullet …
                    7 August 2016 at 7:06 am

                    What a sound, reasoned and well researched comment Stuart.

                    It’s no wonder the comments section at the standard is considered the best place on the planet to go for enlightened discourse.

                    • Stuart Munro …
                      7 August 2016 at 9:23 pm

                      I’m impressed Mullet – emoticons have up to now been the limit of your rhetorical powers. Goes to show even RWNJ can learn something from the Standard.

                    • Stunned mullet []
                      8 August 2016 at 7:07 am

                      Oh dear, another of the ‘if it doesn’t agree with me it’s a rwnj’ brigade.
                      I’d like to say I expected so much more from you Stuart but all I can manage is 🙄

                • Halfcrown …
                  7 August 2016 at 10:59 am

                  Others have replied before I have had a chance. Apart from Mullet I agree with everything they say.
                  However I will put in my tuppence worth for what it is worth
                  Getting back to your reply to me Chuck

                  “30 years ago NZ was manifestly superior in every respect.”

                  Before Douglas had his coup d’etat, things were better, yes the country had some very serious problems but up until Douglas everybody did have and I hate using cliche’s “had a fair go” I never ever saw people begging on Queen Street, and as Stuart Munro said “unemployment was based on real unemployment figures, Also I do not recall any food banks being around.

                  “You even mention “30 years ago” Halfcrown.
                  2016 – 30 = 1986. “

                  Well I never, Who would have thunked that 2016 minus 30 would give us 1986. I thank you for the uncalled for arithmetic lesson which I really didn’t need after a long and distinguished career where occasionally I had to do a few sums. As it has been pointed out, it started to turn to shit after Douglas gained control in 1984. As you are being pedantic over the actual year I have included the year to avoid further confusion.

                  “BTW: are you saying there was no homeless or mortgagee sales, everybody that wanted to own a home could etc etc in the 1980’s?”

                  I can honestly say I am not personally aware of homelessness BEFORE 84, and I think you would find that the homeless were taken care of with a state house like our dearly beloved leaders mother was. However I am aware of several cases of homelessness now, and a young couple living with their parents as they have not got a shit show of buying a house on the irregular money they are earning and the massive deposit required. Please don’t suggest that they move, move to where? The regions have been run down and there is little work or jobs to earn money.
                  I tell you what though, when the bubble finally bursts there are going to be a lot of two bob millionaires who have voted for this system who are going to wake up and find their mortgages are higher than the value of their house, and if they lose their job, they will be well and truly in the shit. Then you will see a lot of mortgagee sales.
                  I do like this bit from the same article
                  “Many New Zealand investors prospered following the deregulation of the financial markets in 1984. ‘Yuppies’ and corporate high-flyers thrived in this environment alongside many ‘Mum and Dad investors’. Speculation on the stock exchange seemed to replace productive sectors which had built and sustained the country over generations. When the Wall Street market in New York dropped sharply in October 1987, New Zealand was quickly caught up in the fallout. Many individuals and businesses went bust. To those who had already suffered in the name of economic reform, this seemed like a case of ‘reaping what you sow’”
                  In other words Douglas lifted the lid off the sewer and all manner of rubbish floated to the surface.

                  • Chuck …
                    7 August 2016 at 12:05 pm

                    “As you are being pedantic over the actual year I have included the year to avoid further confusion.”

                    No not the actual year…it landed about mid 1980’s so happy for it to reference the decade (per the link I provided the “1980’s”).

                    • Halfcrown …
                      7 August 2016 at 3:27 pm

                      Whatever, I think the point has been made how things have deteriorated since the shit started by Douglas & co and has continued ever since. Irrespective when it started.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                6 August 2016 at 11:37 pm

                Yes, back then everything was so expensive. Thing is, the majority of people could afford to live whereas now a large plurality of people pretty much can’t.

                As for cars being expensive – that’s how it should be. The majority of people should not own cars. In fact there’s a good argument for no one owning cars – businesses yes, people no. Cars are simply too expensive in real, physical terms for such blaze over use of resources. We actually cannot afford for everyone to own a car – see climate change and the wasted space of car parks.

                • ropata …
                  7 August 2016 at 10:55 pm

                  +1 a massive influx of foreign cash hasn’t actually made NZ a better place to live for most of us. Only the top 10-20% landed gentry have been creaming it for the last few decades, everyone else voting blue is just a useful idiot

                  The ruling class have traded our actual, solid wealth for dollars that will be pissed away on luxury yachts and fancy tax dodging schemes.

                  All the camping grounds are being turned into big empty mansions. Hauraki Gulf islands and Canterbury sheep stations have been sold to foreign interests. Russian and American billionaires own large swathes of Northland.

                  Kiwis are idiots.

                  cafca.org.nz

      • Keith 17.1.6
        7 August 2016 at 11:33 am

        You are thinking of Albania, egg. All this site proves is National supporters are idiots.

      • KJT 17.1.7
        8 August 2016 at 2:04 pm

        Thirty years ago the average Maori man was in a 40 hour a week, unionised job that paid enough to feed his family.
        Now the same demographic is either unemployed or in a zero hours Mcjob at minimum wage.

        Bring back the “white insular society”.

        We had no children below the poverty line, now 300 000.

    • Leftie 17.2
      6 August 2016 at 5:44 pm

      +1 Well said Johnm

  18. Michael 18
    6 August 2016 at 3:34 pm

    This didn’t start to happen the day the Nats moved into the Beehive, although it got worse under their rule, probably a bit faster than would have been the case under continued Labour governments. With both main parties wedded to neoliberal dogma, there really is no alternative to deepening inequality and poverty in our country, all for the sake of “incentivising” rich and poor alike to keep playing the neoliberal game. Why is this? For the Nats, it’s because the status quo suits their interests, although they do have to con a significant number of non-rich people to vote for them, even though the outcome of the status quo is that nearly all of these people will become worse off. For Labour, the answer is slightly more problematic but I think it boils down to the fact that its Parliamentary wing, and top office holders, no longer identify or empathise with the non-rich. If we really want to change the status quo and its trajectory we need a new political grouping on the left to challenge it and propose progressive alternatives. I see no evidence of any such grouping today.

    • Colonial Viper 18.1
      6 August 2016 at 4:24 pm

      This didn’t start to happen the day the Nats moved into the Beehive, although it got worse under their rule, probably a bit faster than would have been the case under continued Labour governments.

      Under Labour, ordinary wage earners could no longer buy a home. But they could still find reasonably priced rentals.

      The main difference under National is that unless you are flatting with others, there’s no way you can afford a rental. And even if you could, the house would probably still be flipped from under you by the landlord.

      • Michael 18.1.1
        7 August 2016 at 10:55 pm

        Rents weren’t affordable one day and unaffordable the next – they increased in leaps and bounds throughout hte neoliberal era, accompanied by a fall in the purhcasing power of most wage slaves and non-earners. My real point is that housing became unaffordable under National and Labour governments alike and both are part of the problem. As for solutions, I don’t see anything from either of them. FWIW: I propose capping all residential rentals at no more than 25 percent of the gross weekly earnings of the tenants’ household. That shoud lead to a satisfying drop in residential property values and an exit of some of the most rapacious landlords from the business.

        • miravox 18.1.1.1
          7 August 2016 at 11:31 pm

          “My real point is that housing became unaffordable under National and Labour governments alike and both are part of the problem. As for solutions, I don’t see anything from either of them.”

          A quick google finds that:

          Labour had recognised the shortage of housing and announced new policy under Shearer’s leadership to address it in 2012
          http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/121185/labour-announces-major-housing-policy

          and again under Cunliffe in 2014
          http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11315001

          And currently under Little
          http://www.labour.org.nz/housing

          No-one was ready to listen to policy. Far more fun to watch and report on, the PM play the fool.

          Meanwhile National rundown the rundown state houses and continue to purify (in ideological terms) housing ‘markets’ with private developer-led supply regardless of whether that equates with what is required to actually house those for who the market fails.

          http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11392703

          • Colonial Viper 18.1.1.1.1
            7 August 2016 at 11:37 pm

            And the Labour Government response to housing being “severely unaffordable” as widely reported in 2005/2006?

            • miravox 18.1.1.1.1.1
              8 August 2016 at 12:16 am

              I’m not going to address that. I was talking about proposed solutions, or lack of.

              Not much point in ‘Labour did it too’, imo, when the people who ‘did it’ are not there anymore, or policy has over-ridden the beliefs of those who are (if they haven’t changed their view in the meantime).

              • Colonial Viper …
                8 August 2016 at 12:50 am

                you may think let bygones be bygones, but not all voters view things that way.

                btw the problem needed to be nipped in the bud in the early to mid 2000s. There are no good answers now that Auckland house prices are in the $750K plus range.

                • miravox …
                  8 August 2016 at 1:07 am

                  I’m not letting bygones be bygones. That’s not what I’m saying at all. Blame Clark, Cullen et al. as much as you like. Three subsequent leaders have presented different proposals. If these leaders had not done that I’d present a different comment.

                  And of course I realise not all voters think bygones should be bygones and I’d agree that sometimes they’re absolutely right in thinking that way. But sometimes it’s a case of moving on, especially if the party and perpetrators of bad policy are addressing that.

    • Draco T Bastard 18.2
      6 August 2016 at 4:53 pm

      +1

  19. Leftie 19
    6 August 2016 at 4:20 pm

    This is a National disgrace and shame of monumental proportions.

  20. Gangnam Style 20
    6 August 2016 at 5:23 pm

    “Once a pioneer of the social welfare state…” – & now? Sigh…

  21. Leftie 21
    6 August 2016 at 5:51 pm

    As a result of Al Jazeera news on NZ’s homeless those 2 families were offered social housing, both will be due to move in the coming weeks. Why not straight away? Will these social housing offers be withdrawn later when the media focus goes off?

    • infused 21.1
      7 August 2016 at 1:06 am

      Because shit just doesn’t magically happen. Maybe in your world.

      • Leftie 21.1.1
        7 August 2016 at 1:45 am

        Given the appalling nature of the National government Infused, it’s a valid question.

    • Foreign waka 21.2
      7 August 2016 at 10:15 am

      Damage control its called. It just shows that the bureaucrats don’t even know who the homeless are (other than a statistic). Maybe we need to have journalists going round and get the families in the news so that they have a chance of a roof over their head.

      • Leftie 21.2.1
        9 August 2016 at 12:48 am

        That did cross my mind too Foreign waka.

        • Chris 21.2.1.1
          9 August 2016 at 1:19 am

          I don’t think Foreign waka’s being serious here, Leftie, but not surprising you are. No doubt you think they could go around shining torches into people’s cars parked up at Mangere asking “can we put you on the national news to talk about how fucked up your lives are?” Yeah, that’s a great idea. No surprises there, you little fuckwit, no surprises, there.

          • Leftie 21.2.1.1.1
            9 August 2016 at 1:46 am

            It’s you who has missed the point of the post Chris, typical trolling on your part.

            • Chris 21.2.1.1.1.1
              9 August 2016 at 1:57 am

              What’s your point then? Do you think journalists should seek out the homeless so that politicians can sort out individual housing problems?

              • Leftie …
                9 August 2016 at 2:20 am

                It wasn’t my point, it was Foreign Waka’s point, which was using the media to get people into housing if that was what it would take. Instead of trying to have a go for the sake of it Chris, you really should think first, you’re appearing like an idiot.

                • Chris …
                  9 August 2016 at 2:29 am

                  So do you think journalists should seek out the homeless so that politicians can sort out individual housing problems?

                  • Leftie …
                    9 August 2016 at 2:48 am

                    Haven’t some journalists been doing just that in their expose’ of the housing crisis, you’re commenting on one such example from
                    Al Jazeera. I think there is enough information and data for media, without having to resort to individual cases, to take National to task over this. The media should be hammering National day in and day out until people have a proper roof over their heads.

            • Chris 21.2.1.1.1.2
              9 August 2016 at 2:01 am

              And how can you say that when 99% of your posts are trolls on behalf of the Labour Party?

  22. smilin 22
    6 August 2016 at 6:04 pm

    When Big Norm died that was the end of our self sufficient isolation
    But really we never have been we just are more aware of it and thats what costs
    Employing people of Keys fraternity to run the country a total rhort Key a NZer? dont make me laugh
    Wish to god we had a few more real conservatives in the country who know how to kick free loaders out of our govt

  23. vto 23
    7 August 2016 at 7:52 am

    It is a shameful situation..

    shame on all of us

    shame on the chief for not caring about his villagers.. while the chief lives in his mansion on the hill the villagers are living in the mud

    Ensuring all villagers have food to eat and a roof over their heads is the ultimate baseline. . . and must top the daily work list for government – job number one each day – priority number one – little else should progress until this is solved

    shame shame shame

  24. Richardrawshark 24
    7 August 2016 at 11:06 am

    For what? 5 years this has been an issue and now even al Jazz is talking about it.

    Here in NZ nothing changes the blind lead the deaf, and no one gives a shit. Government wise.

    Once upon a time it was the youth generations that kept governments honest, The Shadbolts, etc , we must have a bunch of couldn’t give a fucks going to UNI these days. I really am pissed with the uni students who would rather trash couches then stand up for what’s right and that’s the shame, as i’m getting just a tad old to be standing out in the cold still doing it!

  25. TheBlackKitten 25
    7 August 2016 at 11:27 am

    We have a crisis created by a huge imbalance of supply and demand. Now the Labour Party fans don’t like to acknowledge it but facts are facts and the fact that council refused to extend boundaries is a huge contributor to issues such as the lady in the video that got turfed out of her rental so that the owners could sell the house for a nice big fat capital gain. The National Party fans also need to acknowledge that Keys relentless pursuit of letting every known life form to enter this country is also a huge contributor to this issue. That all the jobs are in Auckland and are virtually non existent in the regions is putting huge pressure on Aucklands already appalling infrastructure. Terrible traffic, congestion and limited housing is not being on the cusp of something special but rather being on the cusp of descending into third world country status. Key is leading NZ down the same path as Hong Kong, just look at how they live over there.
    It astounds me that houses in average suburbs in Auckland are now in the price range of a million dollars. Our wages sure as heck don’t support these prices so where the heck are people getting the money from to buy these overpriced houses? Look at who is buying these houses. It’s not the average kiwi but rather affluent migrants coming into this country with lots of cash that are outbidding kiwis for their own homes. This is an absolute disgrace and it amazes me that any government that presides over such a tragedy is still high in the polls. The opposition parties are doing a poor job as this housing crisis should see any opposition party with an ounce of compitance sinking this government poll figures into the ground.
    Issues are there is not enough infrastructure, public transport, roading, housing to cope with all these migrants. Rich migrants out pricing kiwis for their own homes, limited stock attracting investors to housing. Migrants working for low wages and lowering our wages, no worker representation to keep wages in correlation with the cost of living.
    Solutions, stop all immigration until we catch up with infrastructure, don’t allow rich migrants to buy up our homes in droves, increase worker representation with wages, drench Auckland with house supply. Sadly, I don’t see any political party with the guts to all that is necessary to fix this.

  26. smilin 26
    10 August 2016 at 6:38 pm

    1975 the start of this new wave of bs economics
    worst part these people fund death and destruction as if they are god on a bad day
    We thought Hitler was bad at least he was up front and knew he was going to get a fight ,suppose thats why all these scumbag financiers keep hiding behind the military industrial complex that was never suppose to be allowed to do what it has
    Now these people have the power and they put Key and the like in positions of power to do their dirty work
    ChCh earthquake an inside job
    Key a plant that should have been uprooted and incinerated
    Rainbow Warrior still a war crime by any stretch
    What can you say about our fishing industry decline
    Oil companies and the Foreshore and Seabed act of treason
    Fonterra and Watson polluters of the waterways
    Jenny Shipley the master criminal
    Jim Bolger [deleted] for destroying the Unions fucking cocky prick he was broke before he got the nod from the Natzi thieves of land and resources
    Don Brash, Keys deception
    Criminals the lot of them
    Robt Muldoon and Roger Douglas John Key the biggest financial destroyers of NZds wealth and welfare
    NZ is dead now thanks to them just another struggling third world country
    And Key will probably get a knighthood for being the hood from Israel and the US to go with his exit from the country next year
    And when Taupo blows that will be it a right HAARP attack
    Can we really call ourselves a sovereign nation ?
    40,000 homeless in 8 years most of the population below the poverty line

    [edited by weka]

  27. Edna Walker 27
    11 August 2016 at 12:16 pm

    THIS is John Key’s legacy………..not the change of flag that he wanted. THIS is what history will record. Wake up New Zealand!!

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  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

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  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

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  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

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  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

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  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

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  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

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  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

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  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

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  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

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  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

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  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

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  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

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  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

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  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

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  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

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  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

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  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

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  • Update on global IT outage

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  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
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  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

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  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
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