Housing has not been a simple issue for the Government. Initial expectations were sky high and progress of Kiwibuild has been slow.
On the up side the five year bright line capital gain policy and the policy setting restrictions on overseas ownership have been working as intended and prices, at least in Auckland, have stabilised if not retreated.
And Housing Corp has been steadily adding to its stock after a period during the last Government when numbers were deliberately reduced.
The detail is in this post I wrote during the last election campaign:
This is the graph showing additions and disposals. Disposals have outpaced additions for some time and the net change is negative. I don’t know where [National Spokesperson Amy Adams] gets her figure of 2,000 more state houses a year [from].
And the basic problem with this debate? Since 2008 the population has grown 12.4%. To keep up with need as it was then there should be 77,600 state houses. We are going backwards at a rate of knots. And this is before the crisis of affordability has hit Auckland and other areas. No wonder why homelessness is now so visible in a land that should be made of milk and honey.
Since the election of this Government things have turned around.
Housing NZ is now building 2,700 new homes, with 900 homes in the regions. 🏘️🏘️
National’s response? As transparent a case of bene bashing as Topham Guerin could conceive. From Isaac Davison at the Herald:
The National Party will put an end to a “state house for life” if it gets into power next year.
It partly blames the Coalition Government’s halt to most tenancy reviews for the huge increase in the waiting list for public housing – now at more than 13,000 households.
Official reports, however, paint a differentpicture. They say expensive housing and ageing tenants are the main reasons that people are staying in state houses for longer.
The tenancy reviews, introduced five years ago, check whether an individual or family is earning too much to qualify for state support. They can lead to tenants being moved into the private rental market.
National social housing spokesman Simon O’Connor said the Government’s new exemptions for tenancy reviews were so broad that they were a “joke”.
“National will reinstate tenancy reviews and we won’t be accepting the exemptions either,” he said.
The dog whistle is strong on this one. Bludging housing corp tenants living it up in cheap housing for long periods at the expense of the rest of us.
But of course the reality is different.
Calls by National to end a "state house for life" by upping tenancy reviews – and saying they're the driver of the current waitlist – are so disingenuous. It is fundamentally not true. The driver of more people needing state housing is the cost of housing https://t.co/VAR20OPV42pic.twitter.com/tuMucXlZER
And the Herald reported the reality in this passage:
In a report for Twyford last year, the Ministry of Social Development confirmed state houses tenants were staying in their houses for longer – but not because they were avoiding tenancy reviews.
“This is due to a mix of flat incomes for public housing tenants, an ageing tenant population, differing incentives between accommodation support products, and rising unaffordability of housing in the private market,” the report said.
Tenancy reviews were not the main driver of exits from public housing, the report also said. Between January 2015 and 31 March 2018, just 5.5 per cent of exits came a result of a review. Furthermore, reviewing the tenancies of the households exempted by the Government was likely to find that they still needed their state house.
Of course National know they have nothing to lose. Their landlord supporters expect nothing less, get they want the state to get out of the residential market so that rents can increase. And the poor know that National is not their friend.
But as said by Mahatma Ghandi a nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members. Clearly National does not aspire to greatness for our nation. Just the attacking of the weak and dispossessed for political gain.
"But as said by Mahatma Ghandi a nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members. Clearly National does not aspire to greatness for our nation. Just the attacking of the weak and dispossessed for political gain."
As observers are we allowed to determine who is the weakest number? Is it the single grandmother who has lived in a 4 bedroom state house for 50-60 years, but does not want to moved to a single bedroom apartment. Or is its the family of four that cannot be allocated a 4 bedroom home as there is an abundance of single bedroom state homes/apartments?
[lprent: Perhaps you should prove that there is :-
“…there is an abundance of single bedroom state homes/apartments?”
The National government didn’t build any as far as I can see, and was actively looking at selling off those that they had. Certainly around where I live that was the case.
As I happen to intensely dislike false assertions (especially ones that are framed as truisms) you are banned for 3 weeks to discourage a repeat (of course you can provide evidence to justify your assertion with some actual numbers).
National had 9 years to put up some single bedroom homes/flats/apartments. As far as I am aware the number of those reduced. There is a massive shortage of one or two bedroom housing corp places. Typically those that are available are are vast distances from where someone has lived most of their life. Which is one of the main reasons that tenants will hang on to what they have rather than being kicked out.
I think that you are a lazy dog-whistling lying troll, so I’ll do as National does – I will assume you are until you you prove that you are not. ]
Well that is a question that has been asked by government that has narrowed assistance with housing. When National started screwing down the welfare state they were making people shift from their town to another far away if it was a single woman; to go from a two bedroom house to a one bedroom unit in the distant town, just uplifted from friends and known neighbourhood and services. The authorities would not be likely to have even considered her renting a room to someone to ensure that the spare room was being utilised.
In fact one of the National harpies was incensed to find that state house tenants in South Auckland were renting a room to someone. It would never occur to such an unpretty pollie, that this was offering someone a place to live – perhaps a relative – and it was a useful thing to do for the boarder/tenant and the state. No they looked at it on a narrow monetary basis and because there was an edict against being helpful, the same as private landlords who don't have a duty to assist citizens with housing as the state does. Whatever the poor do to advance or help each other and themselves they will be condemned on some pretext.
Similarly Metiria Turei was villified for taking in an extra renter to help her make ends meet while she studied hard to get the skills for a secure job suitable for a parent.
There is probably a case for the government to buy one bedroom apartments/flats in areas where there are homeless low income families. Then move some tenants from family size state housing into these newly acquired smaller spaces.
Re. MAHATMA GHANDI.. I travelled in India by train. In Benares I lived in a houseboat next to pyres burning human remains night and day and dogs scavenging the bones.
I did not expect NZ Nationalists wouldd try to recreate the Raj in Auckland.
…. ' The National Party will put an end to a “state house for life” if it gets into power next year ' ….
The answer is simple.
Keep them out of power.
When we look at Germany, and Scandinavia, and we see that most of the populace are long term if not life tenants,… we see how archaic the ChiNational party really is.
Quite appalling, really.
So dreadfully out of touch with the developed world.
So 19th century in their approach.
So ,… Oliver Twist and Ebenezer Scrooge… you can almost smell the smog from their belching factory’s, in fact…
What they really would prefer is endless lines queuing up for soup kitchens and even greater lines queuing up for a days exploitative and poorly paid work.
A return to the 19th century ,- the glory days of subservience, hierarchy and the working class knowing their place and not trying to rise above their stations. Oh ,… and exorbitant profits to be made by industrialists and landlords.
I find it a curious mix of bedfellows tolerated by the ChiNational party … at the one time exuding the far right wing neo con / hawkishness of the extremes of the American Republican party,… yet on the other hand being so far embedded up communist China's arse regards crony business deals ( complete with an ex Chinese spy trainer as one of their MP's ) and free trade deals with the same that all you can really see of them is their toenails hanging out China's rear orifice…
I definitely think that state housed folk should not be permitted to occupy multi bedroom houses at the expense of multi children families.
However also in state house areas the state should build an range of properties so that single people left by their families are housed in maximum two bedroom properties so they can have family visit them.
The case of the woman in a four bedroom house was a disgraceful example of inept housing policy by the department.
Remember that state house tenants are being subsidised by all of us living in the private sector. Of course those who either are depriving themselve to pay a huge rent privately or like me in earlier times are/were able to buy/build for themselves might not agree. 🙂
No problems with a single or couple being relocated to a two bedroomed dwelling,… however, one must juxtapose the costs on a society of family's living on the street and the inherent anger and bitterness among the young that can lead to social disorder ie : theft, vandalism, violence etc. Do we really want to end up like other country's whereby poverty is the breeding grounds for violent social unrest?
Is the price of providing basic housing not worth it?
And heres another thing, – for the last 9 years we have seen this problem of state housing getting worse and worse. Driven mainly by a rapacious National govt hell bent on selling off those remaining state houses to private interests while at the same time allowing offshore interests to ramp up housing prices to the point where there was and still is a housing crisis.
All in the name of neo liberal private enterprise.
Meanwhile, children died in preventable third world type diseases in moldy, cold , dilapidated state houses according to our own medical reports.
And lets not forget that those state houses were originally built to house the family's of those workers who served the interests of the state in large work projects, – now they serve the interests of the business elites more often than not.
So.
It seems if you or I want service, we need to house those workers and their familys somewhere.
Or else take your own trash to the dump,- and pay the fees and like or lump the inconvenience when doing so.
Housing still has a long way to go – and while the government maintains a policy of net migration in the order of 50k pa, achievements of the order of 2.7 k homes are readily overlooked.
Evidently that 50k inward migration target is such a massive sacred cow that New Zealanders are to end up on the streets in service of it.
Don't worry , Stuart,- all their trying to do is replace the over 650,000 New Zealanders who moved permanently to Australia just after Ruth Richardson's Employment Contracts Act 1991 was passed…
With cheap, foreign ,non unionized labour.
And if that means New Zealanders and immigrants get to sleep on a park bench? – somehow they figure its all been worth it for their own little comfort zones and cozy retirements,- not to mention the glorious opportunity’s for future investments with great returns for them and their offspring…
I never really understood the problem since long term State House tenants either qualify for income related rent, in which case they qualify for the house, or they don't, in which case they pay market rent and HNZ can use that income to build another house. It's a self-correcting situation.
A trading dividend would incentivise keeping stable tenants at market rents, but I agree that the correct use of the money made is maintenance of existing stock and building new houses.
'It was American writer and novelist Pearl Buck (1892-1973), best known for her novel, The Good Earth (winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1932), and recipient of the Nobel Prize for literature that wrote: “Our society must make it right and possible for old people not to fear the young or be deserted by them, for the test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its helpless members.”'
National sold 2 thousand state houses they sold land as well they sold SHA areas to the chinese airline company and they sold to developers and they also sold to some so – called community housing providers. National did this so they don't have to provide this much needed service. Then for 9 years we herd them say we don't have a housing crisis. Now they are at it again after selling many of our assets paid for with our taxes they are selling us down the tiolet.
I see part of the problem as with our good nature we are accepting refugees and housing them ahead of kiwi citizens. We should look after our own ahead of inviting people from overseas.
Well, John, since you appear to be strong with facts, why don’t you give us some numbers to go on? For example, how many refugees does NZ let into the country annually?
At least you differentiate between immigration and refugee intake.
Do you really believe it is a proposal to increase refugee intake that would put greater pressure on infrastructure, housing provision and other services?
I was being facetious about you being strong with facts given your comment @ 5 on OM today. To me, that comment and the one @ 12 under this post came across as dog whistling.
Think of mixed, hidden, or veiled messages that elicit different responses in recipients depending on whether they are the target or targeted audience as intended by the messenger.
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The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble.Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhire’s 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.My World War I Poem Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging. Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihan’s gorgeous and sad debut Kōhine, Noelle McCarthy’s memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend Ngāhuia te ...
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Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammage’s Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australia’s forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmers’s third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief – beyond the tax cuts – although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
“Three Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.” ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallace’s debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that he’s always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe it’s something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. She’s ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whānau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says ‘outlook not great’ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
Dog whistling Housing Corp tenants 
Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...9 hours ago
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...13 hours ago
Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...16 hours ago
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...20 hours ago
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...1 day ago
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder. In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...1 day ago
Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ... 1 day ago
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...2 days ago
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...2 days ago
TL;DR: These six news links stood out to me in the last 24 hours or so onWednesday, April 23:Scoop: 'Released in error': Treasury paper hints at axing $6b flood resilience plan by NZ Herald-$$$ Thomas CoughlanScoop: EY launches new misconduct review amid Fonterra ban. Fonterra tells EY to remove some ...2 days ago
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...2 days ago
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...2 days ago
One of the government’s transport policy and agreements with it’s coalition partners made it clear that they were looking at options like tolling and road pricing. This was reinforced in it’s draft Government Policy Statement released at the start of March which made a couple of references to it. Road pricing, ...2 days ago
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...2 days ago
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"But as said by Mahatma Ghandi a nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members. Clearly National does not aspire to greatness for our nation. Just the attacking of the weak and dispossessed for political gain."
As observers are we allowed to determine who is the weakest number? Is it the single grandmother who has lived in a 4 bedroom state house for 50-60 years, but does not want to moved to a single bedroom apartment. Or is its the family of four that cannot be allocated a 4 bedroom home as there is an abundance of single bedroom state homes/apartments?
[lprent: Perhaps you should prove that there is :-
“…there is an abundance of single bedroom state homes/apartments?”
The National government didn’t build any as far as I can see, and was actively looking at selling off those that they had. Certainly around where I live that was the case.
As I happen to intensely dislike false assertions (especially ones that are framed as truisms) you are banned for 3 weeks to discourage a repeat (of course you can provide evidence to justify your assertion with some actual numbers).
National had 9 years to put up some single bedroom homes/flats/apartments. As far as I am aware the number of those reduced. There is a massive shortage of one or two bedroom housing corp places. Typically those that are available are are vast distances from where someone has lived most of their life. Which is one of the main reasons that tenants will hang on to what they have rather than being kicked out.
I think that you are a lazy dog-whistling lying troll, so I’ll do as National does – I will assume you are until you you prove that you are not. ]
As a commenter here, you are allowed to lay out your arguments and start a discussion thread. Or you could spray and walk away.
Well that is a question that has been asked by government that has narrowed assistance with housing. When National started screwing down the welfare state they were making people shift from their town to another far away if it was a single woman; to go from a two bedroom house to a one bedroom unit in the distant town, just uplifted from friends and known neighbourhood and services. The authorities would not be likely to have even considered her renting a room to someone to ensure that the spare room was being utilised.
In fact one of the National harpies was incensed to find that state house tenants in South Auckland were renting a room to someone. It would never occur to such an unpretty pollie, that this was offering someone a place to live – perhaps a relative – and it was a useful thing to do for the boarder/tenant and the state. No they looked at it on a narrow monetary basis and because there was an edict against being helpful, the same as private landlords who don't have a duty to assist citizens with housing as the state does. Whatever the poor do to advance or help each other and themselves they will be condemned on some pretext.
Similarly Metiria Turei was villified for taking in an extra renter to help her make ends meet while she studied hard to get the skills for a secure job suitable for a parent.
There is probably a case for the government to buy one bedroom apartments/flats in areas where there are homeless low income families. Then move some tenants from family size state housing into these newly acquired smaller spaces.
Re. MAHATMA GHANDI.. I travelled in India by train. In Benares I lived in a houseboat next to pyres burning human remains night and day and dogs scavenging the bones.
I did not expect NZ Nationalists wouldd try to recreate the Raj in Auckland.
so essentially National still has no mates and is still having a hard time moving on from John Key?
National, no mates, no ideas, vote for us!
What it all really means? That the truth is irrelevant.
It means the intellectually limited will be heartened and spread the message that the National Government is going to be tough and deal to losers.
A couple of observations, the landlord class isn't limited to National voters or MPs.
The picture accompanying this post makes me think of two Harry Enfield characters: Loadsamoney and Waynetta Slob.
…. ' The National Party will put an end to a “state house for life” if it gets into power next year ' ….
The answer is simple.
Keep them out of power.
When we look at Germany, and Scandinavia, and we see that most of the populace are long term if not life tenants,… we see how archaic the ChiNational party really is.
Quite appalling, really.
So dreadfully out of touch with the developed world.
So 19th century in their approach.
So ,… Oliver Twist and Ebenezer Scrooge… you can almost smell the smog from their belching factory’s, in fact…
What they really would prefer is endless lines queuing up for soup kitchens and even greater lines queuing up for a days exploitative and poorly paid work.
A return to the 19th century ,- the glory days of subservience, hierarchy and the working class knowing their place and not trying to rise above their stations. Oh ,… and exorbitant profits to be made by industrialists and landlords.
I find it a curious mix of bedfellows tolerated by the ChiNational party … at the one time exuding the far right wing neo con / hawkishness of the extremes of the American Republican party,… yet on the other hand being so far embedded up communist China's arse regards crony business deals ( complete with an ex Chinese spy trainer as one of their MP's ) and free trade deals with the same that all you can really see of them is their toenails hanging out China's rear orifice…
I definitely think that state housed folk should not be permitted to occupy multi bedroom houses at the expense of multi children families.
However also in state house areas the state should build an range of properties so that single people left by their families are housed in maximum two bedroom properties so they can have family visit them.
The case of the woman in a four bedroom house was a disgraceful example of inept housing policy by the department.
Remember that state house tenants are being subsidised by all of us living in the private sector. Of course those who either are depriving themselve to pay a huge rent privately or like me in earlier times are/were able to buy/build for themselves might not agree. 🙂
No problems with a single or couple being relocated to a two bedroomed dwelling,… however, one must juxtapose the costs on a society of family's living on the street and the inherent anger and bitterness among the young that can lead to social disorder ie : theft, vandalism, violence etc. Do we really want to end up like other country's whereby poverty is the breeding grounds for violent social unrest?
Is the price of providing basic housing not worth it?
And heres another thing, – for the last 9 years we have seen this problem of state housing getting worse and worse. Driven mainly by a rapacious National govt hell bent on selling off those remaining state houses to private interests while at the same time allowing offshore interests to ramp up housing prices to the point where there was and still is a housing crisis.
All in the name of neo liberal private enterprise.
Meanwhile, children died in preventable third world type diseases in moldy, cold , dilapidated state houses according to our own medical reports.
And lets not forget that those state houses were originally built to house the family's of those workers who served the interests of the state in large work projects, – now they serve the interests of the business elites more often than not.
So.
It seems if you or I want service, we need to house those workers and their familys somewhere.
Or else take your own trash to the dump,- and pay the fees and like or lump the inconvenience when doing so.
The National party …home of evil bastards
Housing still has a long way to go – and while the government maintains a policy of net migration in the order of 50k pa, achievements of the order of 2.7 k homes are readily overlooked.
Evidently that 50k inward migration target is such a massive sacred cow that New Zealanders are to end up on the streets in service of it.
Don't worry , Stuart,- all their trying to do is replace the over 650,000 New Zealanders who moved permanently to Australia just after Ruth Richardson's Employment Contracts Act 1991 was passed…
With cheap, foreign ,non unionized labour.
And if that means New Zealanders and immigrants get to sleep on a park bench? – somehow they figure its all been worth it for their own little comfort zones and cozy retirements,- not to mention the glorious opportunity’s for future investments with great returns for them and their offspring…
As for the rest of us in struggle street…
Have they even heard it exists???
I never really understood the problem since long term State House tenants either qualify for income related rent, in which case they qualify for the house, or they don't, in which case they pay market rent and HNZ can use that income to build another house. It's a self-correcting situation.
It should be Craig but the trouble is the inflexibility of state department's thinking. But I doubt if a private "department" would work any better.
Isn't the problem of the polies/voters wanting a dividend from a trading dept? So housing department's loose any profits..
A trading dividend would incentivise keeping stable tenants at market rents, but I agree that the correct use of the money made is maintenance of existing stock and building new houses.
I agree with the sentiment…but not the quote…
'It was American writer and novelist Pearl Buck (1892-1973), best known for her novel, The Good Earth (winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1932), and recipient of the Nobel Prize for literature that wrote: “Our society must make it right and possible for old people not to fear the young or be deserted by them, for the test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its helpless members.”'
"I can personally guarantee that every New Zealand family will have a section of pavement to sleep on when I'm Prime Minister."
Simon Bridges
National – 'Delivering for our donors'
National sold 2 thousand state houses they sold land as well they sold SHA areas to the chinese airline company and they sold to developers and they also sold to some so – called community housing providers. National did this so they don't have to provide this much needed service. Then for 9 years we herd them say we don't have a housing crisis. Now they are at it again after selling many of our assets paid for with our taxes they are selling us down the tiolet.
I see part of the problem as with our good nature we are accepting refugees and housing them ahead of kiwi citizens. We should look after our own ahead of inviting people from overseas.
Well, John, since you appear to be strong with facts, why don’t you give us some numbers to go on? For example, how many refugees does NZ let into the country annually?
I do not think I am strong on facts but I believe the total in past years has been 750 pa and that is going up to 1500 pa
At least you differentiate between immigration and refugee intake.
Do you really believe it is a proposal to increase refugee intake that would put greater pressure on infrastructure, housing provision and other services?
Thank you for responding and you were very close: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2018-09/Refugees%20and%20asylum%20seekers%20factsheet.pdf
I was being facetious about you being strong with facts given your comment @ 5 on OM today. To me, that comment and the one @ 12 under this post came across as dog whistling.
Incognito
Plese explain to somebody not as worldly as you what 'dog whisling' means 🙂
It’s in the title of the OP so rather odd that you have to ask. Have you tried using a search engine to edify yourself?
Yes I did and I am not sure I understand it any better.
Think of mixed, hidden, or veiled messages that elicit different responses in recipients depending on whether they are the target or targeted audience as intended by the messenger.
https://thestandard.org.nz/dog-whistling/