Housing crisis? What housing crisis? There is a government/local government/bureaucracy crisis that is causing a lot of grief that some media are terming crisis.

The aforementioned, who once were the servants of the people, have now reversed the role and now the people serve them via taxes, rates, user fees, charges, levies and rules. Lots and lots of rules, not many of which actually serve the interests of the individual people.

The Resource Management Act is a blight on society today. It didn't start out that way, in fact it was quite enlightened to begin with, but once the courts, lawyers, town planners and consultants began interpreting it, the trouble started culminating today in what some term a housing crisis.

Cutting to chase – were the powers-that-be to rewrite the rules, here's a scenario. A basic three-bedroom home of about 110m2 on a section of about 800m2. Septic tank/package wastewater disposal. Independent water supply via bores. Basic roading, no kerb or channelling. No designer kitchen. Basic path and clothesline – in fact everything necessary to put roofs over people's heads like the Beazley deals of the 1960s. No development fees land use zoning change. Price around $165,000 plus land. There is a block of suitable flat land that would accommodate about 1200 such sites. In the scheme outlined above basic amenities, section prices would be about $35,000 making the package deal about $200,000.

Now listen to the pundits go. Endangering public health, foundation of ghettos, crime spots not in keeping with today's expectations and on and on they go.

Well some of it may be true, some not. But it worked for Beazley and others back then and it might work now. Much better to give people the choice. Yes, there will be hurdles and it won't be that simple but it could be if those that have the power really wanted to change. They don't. They won't. They being government/local government/bureaucrats. By the way, the writer owns the block of land referred to. This letter is unsigned for personal and business reasons but the editor has chosen to verify the credibility of the writer.

Anonymous.