The cross-party inquiry examining the deepening housing crisis in New Zealand is headed to Tauranga next weeks despite efforts by the Government to derail the initiative.
The Opposition's Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says the country is clamouring for solutions.
Labour Party housing spokesperson Phil Twyford believes Tauranga has an acute housing crisis.
'We are coming to Tauranga because of the acute housing crisis in the city. We have seen unprecedented homelessness.
'It is clear there isn't enough affordable rental housing and there certainly isn't enough emergency housing.”
Labour, the Green Party and the Maori Party decided to go it alone with the inquiry after the Government turned down Opposition requests for a Parliamentary Select Committee investigation into homelessness.
'The fact that Tauranga has been chosen as a venue for one of four hearings across the country is an acknowledgement of how serious the issue has become across the region,” says Phil Twyford, who is one of the MPs sitting on the hearing panel.
'It has pensioners living in campgrounds, and families sleeping in cars.”
The Inquiry into Homelessness will hold it's hearing in Tauranga next Monday, August 29, at the Wesley Centre, 13th Ave, from 1pm-4pm.
'We want to tap into the best thinking in the local community,” says Phil. 'Both from social service organisations and people who themselves have experienced homelessness.
'We also want to talk to concerned members of the public.”
People making submissions to the inquiry have five minutes to present and groups get 15 minutes. Roughly half of the submitters are from Tauranga, while the rest are travelling from Rotorua, Hamilton, Paeroa and as far away as Hastings and Gisborne.
'With an estimated 42,000 people homeless or living in temporary or severely overcrowded housing nationally, this is a social crisis,” says Phil.
He says he was disappointed the Government voted down Labour's proposal for a parliamentary inquiry.
'It's too important to be held back by partisan politics.” And from the inquiry Phil will publish a report with recommendations, which the Government could adopt if it chose.
'But in any case, it will undoubtedly form the policies we will take into next year's election.”
For further information, see: www.homelessnessinquiry.co.nz
11 comments
Phil
Posted on 26-08-2016 12:15 | By Kenworthlogger
The reason there is a rental shortage is because polititions like yourself make it very unattractive to have rental properties. From tenancy tribunal where the tenant has all the rights in the world to tax measures where you cannot depriciate your rental property as things wear out. How is this a suprise to you at all Phil?
Agree
Posted on 26-08-2016 13:41 | By TaurangaToro
i've had a rental property for the last few years and with the ever increasing compliance, taxes, tenant damage etc, i'm strongly considering selling it. another rental out of the pool. but apparently all landlords are rolling in cash and like to rip everyone off, so more fool me - i think i must have missed something
Worthy to note
Posted on 26-08-2016 14:09 | By Merlin
It is worthy to note the the Maori Party a government support partner are concerned enough to attend to discuss the homelessness and housing problems but the Government is not.They do not consider there to be a crisis.It took a Marae to step in to assist and highlight the lack of urgency to the CRISIS!
Housing Crisis under the spotlight
Posted on 26-08-2016 14:18 | By soo
Might be helpful to have residential houses kept as that rather than have businesses use them, So many are taken up on Cameron Rd, Fraser St etc for that purpose.
Thinking cap
Posted on 26-08-2016 14:39 | By Kaimai
If the residential rental market was attractive to investors there would be more residential rentals available. Very simple.
@ SPOTLIGHT
Posted on 26-08-2016 16:06 | By Colleen Spiro
Absolutely correct....they are commercial buildings in reality...so many have been snaffled up by small business.
Kenny
Posted on 26-08-2016 17:42 | By overit
Yes you can depreciate.
Westie BP
Posted on 26-08-2016 18:26 | By Kenworthlogger
Talk is cheap mate. All the Maori party have done is talk about it and done nothing. Note they are in goverment too remember....
Consider this
Posted on 26-08-2016 20:35 | By R1Squid
It is likely that most available rentals are uninhabitable because of drug contamination. I pity and feel sorry for the innocent Landlords that did nothing wrong.
Consider this as well
Posted on 27-08-2016 10:39 | By jaydeegee
A good journalist would investigate why it is that the National Government is selling off tax payer housing to private landlords, only to rip off the tax payer again to pay the rent through the benefit system and then again through tax payer funded tax relief system.Do the sums! Tax relief for rental properties - no capital gains tax on rental properties - rents paid by the tax payer - Private landlords are laughing all the way to the bank. This has got to stop if NZ is to continue to be an egalitarian society where fairness and equality are values the nation aspires to.
Wah wah landlords
Posted on 27-08-2016 13:08 | By Captain Hottie
Getting fed up with landlords crying about crap tenants. YOU choose the tenants. Tenants don't have a choice as to their landlords, or even where they live these days, at the start of a rental the landlord holds the aces. So be pickier with your tenants from the get-go, maybe fix your houses up to attract a better class of tenant, and then you won't have a problem. Once the tenant is in and causes problems it is very hard to evict them or get money out of them, so don't be swayed by sob stories of solo mums with big-eyed children or beneficiaries promising that their WINZ payments will come through.
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