Now $24 million for Mike King's Gumboot Friday. This government operates on MINISTERIAL WHIM - decisions are not well thought out, and ignore advice from public servants. That's the road to corruption. Gumboot Friday may or may not be a good cause. That's not the point. Why are they given special treatment when other (mostly Maori) organisations are cut off at the knees?
It's clear National wants out of state housing. It wants people to rent houses from private landlords or "social housing agencies". It ignore the history of housing in NZ, ignores the huge rent-to-buy system put in place by the first National government in 1950. A system where the occupants of state housing provided so well by the first Labour government, were given the option of buying their state houses off the State Advances Corporation. Something my parents, together with hundreds of thousands of others marked by an awful depression and then a terrible world war did. It gave financial stability to a nation where home ownership was not easy.
Baby boomers like me were raised in those little state houses. We went out into a world where buying our own homes, whilst not easy, was achievable. It was expected thanks to the state housing rent-to-buy scheme. Its something we just knew could be done.
Not now sadly. No rent-to-buy any more. Just pay huge rentals for dog boxes and somehow try to also rake up a deposit for an overpriced dog box that one can say is theirs (and the banks).
Lets get down to the nitty gritty. The last thing the Nats and ACT in particular want is a well housed, well educated, healthy working class. Good God! They would become a powerful lobby group. Look what they did to the union movement back in the day. They were hung drawn and quartered. Nah, give em enough to keep em alive cos we need em to do the dirty work.
Nah. it is not an exaggeration...I will name it for what it is: Fascism, which equals government by the rich for the rich, and fuck the underclass...or as Nicolla, said, "the bottom feeders"....which of course, contains all our children in Aotearoa. I personally am totally disgusted by this NAct government, and I think Winston bloody Peterson should be 'hauled over the coals' by everybody in this country that has Maori blood running in their veins. He could bring this pathetic excuse for a government down. But guess what...I have very little hope....so he is just another neo-liberal worshipping asshole, like Luxon and Seymour.
Was it not Luxon who came up with the "bottom feeder" line? I think he was referring to gangs and their associates. It was past National Govt. policies that created the problem in the first place.
Those billions the CoC are spending on privatised jails, youth reform camps would be better invested in secure, affordable housing for the lowest paid in NZ. That social investment would also help to reduce crime, some mental health issue meaning less need for prisons in the future. Let's not not continue to believe the BS from CoC that landlords are in the housing market for any other reason than feathering their own nests. Paid for by the lowest paid workers in the country who have no hope in hell of ever having the security of owning their homes.
Our house, great song. Back in those days people could sing in harmony as well as live in harmony. McAnulty spoke soooo well, but msm chose to minimise coverage as usual. Any moves pretending to involve social housing will actually be another scam to put taxpayer dollars into the pockets of already rich pricks in the National donor club. Let’s get the free market out of social housing!
Nick you articulated my feelings into words, well done. We missed Kieran yesterday. I like the cut of his job also. Each day we wonder what the fast train to nowhere is going to squash.
Yes Nick our home is our kingdom, our sanctuary, our right! I grew up in the 50’s everyone had a house, and backyard with vegetable gardens and some with fruit trees. We were lucky can’t remember any homeless people or beggars on the streets! Not so now!
My parents would never have owned a home if it wasn't for State houses. Before they got a state house we were living in a rat infested rental & then once they got the state house at some stage they bought in a rent to buy scheme & that's when they could finally have some equity in a home. Of course back then you still heard of some people rorting the system in the not what you know but who you know kind of thing but I only know it from my lived experience. Sometimes they let one person live in a state house that was designed for a family once the family had gone they should have moved them on to a flat . I always saw it as a hand up not a hand out.
Very good insight Nick. If it wasn't for the State Advances loan of 3% rising to 5% we wouldn't have had a home back in day and it made so much sense. People were able to have a home, the Govt received back the money it loaned and the building industry had a stream of work ahead. Let us never forget what neo-liberalism did to this country thanks to Roger Douglas.
The National-led coalition government would amend Margaret Thatcher’s statement denying the existence of society. They recognise and represent the interests of only WEALTHY individual men and women, and THEIR families.
Check out Bryan Bruce’s docos on housing crisis, food crisis. Child poverty etc. He says it like it is and doesn’t pull punches✊🏽 He is on substack as are his docos😊👍
Well written Nick. It is clear Bill's review through his social investment lens was designed to lead to privatization of 'social housing ' Social housing is a weird term.Just occured to me. Is there a thing called 'antisocial' housing?
Just what you would expect from this landlord government protecting their interests by keeping people renting for longer. Has anybody noticed ‘downwards pressure on rents’ that Luxon said would happen with tax changes for landlords? The monkeys are in charge of the zoo and only looking out for their greedy selves!
We were among the people who benefitted from the State Advances 3% loan for our first home. It was a small, modest house, but it met our needs. When we moved to another town few years later, we had a 5% loan.
If only people now could enjoy the benefits that we did.
By the way, we were able to capitalize the Family Benefit (remember that?) to pay the deposit on the house. Our generation has been fortunate indeed.¹
Now $24 million for Mike King's Gumboot Friday. This government operates on MINISTERIAL WHIM - decisions are not well thought out, and ignore advice from public servants. That's the road to corruption. Gumboot Friday may or may not be a good cause. That's not the point. Why are they given special treatment when other (mostly Maori) organisations are cut off at the knees?
It's clear National wants out of state housing. It wants people to rent houses from private landlords or "social housing agencies". It ignore the history of housing in NZ, ignores the huge rent-to-buy system put in place by the first National government in 1950. A system where the occupants of state housing provided so well by the first Labour government, were given the option of buying their state houses off the State Advances Corporation. Something my parents, together with hundreds of thousands of others marked by an awful depression and then a terrible world war did. It gave financial stability to a nation where home ownership was not easy.
Baby boomers like me were raised in those little state houses. We went out into a world where buying our own homes, whilst not easy, was achievable. It was expected thanks to the state housing rent-to-buy scheme. Its something we just knew could be done.
Not now sadly. No rent-to-buy any more. Just pay huge rentals for dog boxes and somehow try to also rake up a deposit for an overpriced dog box that one can say is theirs (and the banks).
My daughter who, with her partner and 18 month old, is looking to buy this year was crying on the phone to me after the announcement... fuckers!!
I'm sorry to hear that. That's the thing with all of these cuts, some small number of people get really impacted.
Sorry I have to disagree Nick, it is not a SMALL number, it reverberates through communities and in the end generations, ffs. lets get real.
Well said Rob!
Those state houses were well built solid houses too.
Lets get down to the nitty gritty. The last thing the Nats and ACT in particular want is a well housed, well educated, healthy working class. Good God! They would become a powerful lobby group. Look what they did to the union movement back in the day. They were hung drawn and quartered. Nah, give em enough to keep em alive cos we need em to do the dirty work.
I exaggerate to make a point.
Are you sure it's an exaggeration
It's called diplomacy.
Nah. it is not an exaggeration...I will name it for what it is: Fascism, which equals government by the rich for the rich, and fuck the underclass...or as Nicolla, said, "the bottom feeders"....which of course, contains all our children in Aotearoa. I personally am totally disgusted by this NAct government, and I think Winston bloody Peterson should be 'hauled over the coals' by everybody in this country that has Maori blood running in their veins. He could bring this pathetic excuse for a government down. But guess what...I have very little hope....so he is just another neo-liberal worshipping asshole, like Luxon and Seymour.
Was it not Luxon who came up with the "bottom feeder" line? I think he was referring to gangs and their associates. It was past National Govt. policies that created the problem in the first place.
And you make it well!!
Those billions the CoC are spending on privatised jails, youth reform camps would be better invested in secure, affordable housing for the lowest paid in NZ. That social investment would also help to reduce crime, some mental health issue meaning less need for prisons in the future. Let's not not continue to believe the BS from CoC that landlords are in the housing market for any other reason than feathering their own nests. Paid for by the lowest paid workers in the country who have no hope in hell of ever having the security of owning their homes.
Well said Marilyn!
Our house, great song. Back in those days people could sing in harmony as well as live in harmony. McAnulty spoke soooo well, but msm chose to minimise coverage as usual. Any moves pretending to involve social housing will actually be another scam to put taxpayer dollars into the pockets of already rich pricks in the National donor club. Let’s get the free market out of social housing!
Nick you articulated my feelings into words, well done. We missed Kieran yesterday. I like the cut of his job also. Each day we wonder what the fast train to nowhere is going to squash.
Cut of his ‘jib’ - darn machine didn’t like it so like some people we know changed words to suit.
Yes Nick our home is our kingdom, our sanctuary, our right! I grew up in the 50’s everyone had a house, and backyard with vegetable gardens and some with fruit trees. We were lucky can’t remember any homeless people or beggars on the streets! Not so now!
My parents would never have owned a home if it wasn't for State houses. Before they got a state house we were living in a rat infested rental & then once they got the state house at some stage they bought in a rent to buy scheme & that's when they could finally have some equity in a home. Of course back then you still heard of some people rorting the system in the not what you know but who you know kind of thing but I only know it from my lived experience. Sometimes they let one person live in a state house that was designed for a family once the family had gone they should have moved them on to a flat . I always saw it as a hand up not a hand out.
Very good insight Nick. If it wasn't for the State Advances loan of 3% rising to 5% we wouldn't have had a home back in day and it made so much sense. People were able to have a home, the Govt received back the money it loaned and the building industry had a stream of work ahead. Let us never forget what neo-liberalism did to this country thanks to Roger Douglas.
sheesh that is a term I haven’t heard for year but remember….Sate Advance loans….and 3%. Thems were the days.
Also the ability to capitalise on the Family Benefit which is what we did for our first home.
The National-led coalition government would amend Margaret Thatcher’s statement denying the existence of society. They recognise and represent the interests of only WEALTHY individual men and women, and THEIR families.
Check out Bryan Bruce’s docos on housing crisis, food crisis. Child poverty etc. He says it like it is and doesn’t pull punches✊🏽 He is on substack as are his docos😊👍
Well written Nick. It is clear Bill's review through his social investment lens was designed to lead to privatization of 'social housing ' Social housing is a weird term.Just occured to me. Is there a thing called 'antisocial' housing?
Thank you Nick, right on point once again.
Fantastic korero Nick! Keiran is like a breath if fresh air, whilst Chris Bishop remains a duplicitous sociopath
Exactly!
Just what you would expect from this landlord government protecting their interests by keeping people renting for longer. Has anybody noticed ‘downwards pressure on rents’ that Luxon said would happen with tax changes for landlords? The monkeys are in charge of the zoo and only looking out for their greedy selves!
We were among the people who benefitted from the State Advances 3% loan for our first home. It was a small, modest house, but it met our needs. When we moved to another town few years later, we had a 5% loan.
If only people now could enjoy the benefits that we did.
By the way, we were able to capitalize the Family Benefit (remember that?) to pay the deposit on the house. Our generation has been fortunate indeed.¹