NZpol: A Dick-Burning Dumpster Fire

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Are you a This poll is closed.
homeowner	39	22.41%
renter	69	39.66%
stupid peace of poo poo	66	37.93%
Total:	174 votes

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Jaguars!: Jul 31, 2012

Saros posted:

AJ did a piece on NZ homelessness. Is it really 1% because that seems absolutely insane.

I go out to all sorts of homes throughout Auckland as part of my job, and people living in garages and families living in tiny sleepouts are totally normal in many parts of South Auckland. So while you might not see too many on the streets (although I have seen a few in cars) I can easily believe that 40000 people across the country are living in itinerant accommodation.

Check out rents in Papakura, one of the cheapest parts of Auckland. If you are in the lower quartile, on what, $300 a week? how the hell are you supposed to afford that? And so you get extended families living in single family houses, garages as bedrooms, portacoms, people living above factories and so on.

# ? Aug 24, 2016 22:04

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# ? May 26, 2024 17:40

Anomalous Blowout: Feb 13, 2006; rock
ice
storm
abyss

It makes no attempt to sound human. It is atoms and stars.

*

Yeah, I know the plural of anecdote isn't data, but living in Queenstown the last decade, I've known an astonishing number of locals who haven't been able to secure permanent accommodation. These include: a physio living in a van, a dental assistant who slept on my pal's front porch sofa during the summer, a trio of teachers who were sleeping in someone's lounge for months until they were able to finally secure a house, the guy who sleeps at our bus shelter, the guy who sleeps at our library, half of the restaurant staff at the hotel where my partner works who slept in a campground until winter. The list goes on.

These are all people who live and work in town, they just can't get their hands on a house because everyone who used to rent to locals has put their house up on AirBNB for $300 a night instead. Then the homeowning locals just turn a blind eye and insist that the only people sleeping rough are backpackers who come here for the lifestyle.

While it's true that there's much cheaper places to live elsewhere in the country, I can't wait to see what happens to this dump when every nurse, physio, pilot, and teacher can't afford to live here anymore. It gets buried under the headlines cheerleading our exponential tourism growth, but in my social/age class Queenstown is hemorrhaging people because of the rampant housing shortage.

I'm loving off soon too. It sucks to leave our entire family and support structure behind but even well-off renters have no home security here. We can afford a decent place because we have a roommate and work five jobs between three people, but even then you can't ever keep your hands on a rental in this town. Everybody's auctioning their rentals, turning them into AirBNBs, or refusing to rent for 12 months because they want to rent out for 11, then come back for a month over the ski season. Even the best tenants in the world with no kids or pets and a 900/week budget can't get a long term rental at the moment. It's insane compared to even 3-4 years ago.

I have a friend who's been taking a mostly-online degree and has been able to lend her bedroom to desperate locals every time she has to go up to Auckland for labs and exams. If you have any spare space at all here you can rent it out without even listing it. Just ask a friend if they know anyone sleeping rough and everybody will know at least a few.

There's also spillover effects in all the nearby towns, too. It used to be if Queenstown was too expensive for you, snapping up a cheap house in Kingston or Glenorchy or Cromwell was easy as long as you were willing to commute. We lived outside Glenorchy the first several years I was in NZ and loved it. Now all those cheap places are taken up by the families who have been pushed out of Queenstown itself. Every day on Facebook you see people posting saying they desperately need a place to stay for 10 days between rental contracts.

I've been homeless in Queenstown twice and both times I was by no means poor. There was just literally nothing available to rent. If it weren't for the family friend who later became our long-term roommate we'd have had to sleep in the floor on someone's lounge. We seriously looked at living in a caravan but couldn't find anyone to rent us a place to park it. So yeah, I can easily see those numbers being accurate, if inflated by areas like Queenstown and Auckland and next to 0 in other areas.

I don't know what the perfect answer is, but so far the Council, Mayor, and National Government all just seem to want to do nothing. I put a lot of work into the school and community here and it sucks to leave, but home insecurity has turned this entire area into a lost cause.

It doesn't look as bad as it is because everybody has a friend or family member who's been there before and will open up their homes to the desperate. I've had people sleeping on my deck during the summer, my neighbour put up a sleep-out in his front yard, it's just becoming the norm here. I'd understand a bit more if most of my friends and relatives were hospo workers or bartenders, but drat, everybody I know works in healthcare or education and it's bonkers people in those fields can't find rentals. (Not that hospo workers deserve to be homeless, just pointing out that it's not only a wages issue, it's a scarcity issue. Even people who have the cash are boned right now.)

Sorry for the lengthy rant, this is just a subject that makes me very sad after working in the school system here for so long. The slide from 2009 to where we are now has been heartbreaking to watch.

# ? Aug 25, 2016 00:13

Ghostlight: Sep 25, 2009; maybe for one second you can pause; try to step into another person's perspective, and understand that a watermelon is cursing me

If is a problem the market will fix it.

it's actually a feature

# ? Aug 25, 2016 01:16

Jacobin: Feb 1, 2013; by exmarx

Anomalous Blowout posted:

Yeah, I know the plural of anecdote isn't data, but living in Queenstown the last decade, I've known an astonishing number of locals who haven't been able to secure permanent accommodation.

...
Sorry for the lengthy rant, this is just a subject that makes me very sad after working in the school system here for so long. The slide from 2009 to where we are now has been heartbreaking to watch.

Thank you this is informative but dire but kind of predictable report

Places like Queenstown really do seem like they have been under a pressure cooker. That 11 month lease bullshit unnghhh I feel ya.

# ? Aug 25, 2016 04:30

Moo Cowabunga: Jun 15, 2009; [Office Worker.

Come live in havelock north

# ? Aug 25, 2016 05:21

cptn_dr: Sep 7, 2011; Seven for beauty that blossoms and dies

Stuff_News.jpg

# ? Aug 26, 2016 00:05

Big Bad Beetleborg: Apr 8, 2007; Things may come to those who wait...but only the things left by those who hustle.

cptn_dr posted:

Stuff_News.jpg

I think I am... aren't I?

# ? Aug 26, 2016 00:07

SurreptitiousMuffin: Mar 21, 2010

mirthdefect posted:

I think I am... aren't I?

I'm not.

# ? Aug 26, 2016 00:12

Ghostlight: Sep 25, 2009; maybe for one second you can pause; try to step into another person's perspective, and understand that a watermelon is cursing me

I'm covered in skin.

# ? Aug 26, 2016 02:39

504: Feb 2, 2016; by R. Guyovich

504 posted:

Any of you gentlemen familiar with the TV3 show "Story"? I watch everything online and have literally never heard of it before today, the reason I ask is my partner has been approached by them to take part in a story and I'm VERY skeptical and suspicious of TV journalism.

She went through an extremely bad time last year and frankly I'm terrified they are going to pull a Paul Homes "questions designed to get her crying for ratings" trick.

Remember when I posted this?

Imagine I asked the same question but about the show "Sunday"

# ? Aug 26, 2016 04:19

Moo Cowabunga: Jun 15, 2009; [Office Worker.

# ? Aug 26, 2016 05:02

ledge: Jun 10, 2003

Displeased Moo Cow posted:

No

# ? Aug 26, 2016 06:21

504: Feb 2, 2016; by R. Guyovich

ledge posted:

Best text/reply combo so far

# ? Aug 26, 2016 07:19

Jacobin: Feb 1, 2013; by exmarx

I know the social/media is always a bit misleading and all but none of the news coming out of NZ is really good at all Ive seen a lot of links to the homelessness stories on Al Jazeera a lot and man gently caress the house prices thing makes New Zealand sound WAY more like some caribbean holiday tax haven or banana republic than anything like a stable, relatively equal democracy.

Big part of my heart is still in Dunedin & NZ and I do plan an eventual return dunno what todo except uh vote from overseas

# ? Aug 28, 2016 17:07

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Jacobin posted:

I know the social/media is always a bit misleading and all but none of the news coming out of NZ is really good at all Ive seen a lot of links to the homelessness stories on Al Jazeera a lot and man gently caress the house prices thing makes New Zealand sound WAY more like some caribbean holiday tax haven or banana republic than anything like a stable, relatively equal democracy.

You've been away how long now?

# ? Aug 28, 2016 20:43

Moo Cowabunga: Jun 15, 2009; [Office Worker.

There is a somewhat interesting piece done by the spin off about how all this is affecting nationals numbers in Dorkland.

http://thespinoff.co.nz/auckland-2016/26-08-2016/housing-crisis-uselessness-costing-national-in-auckland-spinoff-poll/

Probably already been posted here but w/e

Maybe they'll start taking this house price homeless thing a bit more seriously is this lab green monster partnership gains more traction

# ? Aug 28, 2016 22:40

Ivor Biggun: Apr 30, 2003; A big "Fuck You!" from the Keyhole nebula; Lipstick Apathy

Displeased Moo Cow posted:

There is a somewhat interesting piece done by the spin off about how all this is affecting nationals numbers in Dorkland.

http://thespinoff.co.nz/auckland-2016/26-08-2016/housing-crisis-uselessness-costing-national-in-auckland-spinoff-poll/

Probably already been posted here but w/e

Maybe they'll start taking this house price homeless thing a bit more seriously is this lab green monster partnership gains more traction

The answer to that one is once again to blame Helen Clark.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/john-key-blames-helen-clark-for-housing-crisis-2016082909

quote:

Labour wants a state of emergency declared over the housing crisis, particularly in Auckland where prices are at record highs and still rising.

Prime Minister John Key says that won't happen, and the housing crisis - if it is one - is not his fault.

"Under the nine years that Helen was Prime Minister, my friend, nationally house prices went up 102 percent. Under us in eight years, they've gone up 43. In Auckland they went up 87 percent I think - under us it's about the same," he said.

"If it was a state of emergency now, a crisis now, why wasn't it a state of emergency and a crisis then?"

Not sure how playing the blame game that will increase National votes but it seems like John only has one response.

# ? Aug 29, 2016 03:43

truther: Oct 22, 2008; ASK ME ABOUT THE BEARS

Ivor Biggun posted:

Not sure how playing the blame game that will increase National votes but it seems like John only has one response.

I think we all know this will work just fine. National voters hate Labour so blaming Labour fits perfectly with their narrative.

# ? Aug 29, 2016 04:03

Ghostlight: Sep 25, 2009; maybe for one second you can pause; try to step into another person's perspective, and understand that a watermelon is cursing me

Is it possible that John, a banker, doesn't know how compounding interest works?

# ? Aug 29, 2016 06:21

Moo Cowabunga: Jun 15, 2009; [Office Worker.

His voter base may not

# ? Aug 29, 2016 06:24

El Pollo Blanco: Jun 12, 2013; by sebmojo

Ghostlight posted:

Is it possible that John, a banker, doesn't know how compounding interest works?

Displeased Moo Cow posted:

His voter base may not

Considering a good part of National's (hell, probably a good part of the electorate in general) voter base fail to understand how marginal tax brackets work, I think compound interest may be beyond them entirely.

# ? Aug 29, 2016 06:40

WarpedNaba: Feb 8, 2012; Being social makes me swell!

Ivor Biggun posted:

Where did he get his figures from, and who made them up?

# ? Aug 29, 2016 07:42

exmarx: Feb 18, 2012; The experience over the years
of nothing getting better
only worse.

Cool, Sue Bradford has a think tank launching this week https://www.esra.nz/

# ? Aug 29, 2016 10:27

klen dool: May 7, 2007; Okay well me being wrong in some limited situations doesn't change my overall point.

Lol one of the top headliney thingies is "Will Robots Take Your Job?"

I loving hope so. I'd love to be able to not work and pursue my interests.

# ? Aug 29, 2016 11:03

cptn_dr: Sep 7, 2011; Seven for beauty that blossoms and dies

klen dool posted:

Lol one of the top headliney thingies is "Will Robots Take Your Job?"

I loving hope so. I'd love to be able to not work and pursue my interests.

I went to Uni with a handful of the people involved, and knowing them, the answer to that question is probably "Yes, full automated luxury communism now"

# ? Aug 29, 2016 11:08

WarpedNaba: Feb 8, 2012; Being social makes me swell!

But then you won't have class distinctions, and real society can't exist without the smugness that comes from being born.

# ? Aug 29, 2016 11:52

Ratios and Tendency: Apr 23, 2010; MURALI

klen dool posted:

Lol one of the top headliney thingies is "Will Robots Take Your Job?"

I loving hope so. I'd love to be able to not work and pursue my interests.

All benefits will accrue to whoever owns the robots.

# ? Aug 29, 2016 14:16

Jacobin: Feb 1, 2013; by exmarx

Slavvy posted:

You've been away how long now?

Really not that long, just 8 months- and Im being a little bit sarcastic- I just really pine for seeing headlines about a property market crash and millenials finally getting some sway or something like that to bring me back...

# ? Aug 29, 2016 16:07

Ghostlight: Sep 25, 2009; maybe for one second you can pause; try to step into another person's perspective, and understand that a watermelon is cursing me

Really the only thing that can save us at this point is a complete collapse of both National and Labour.

# ? Aug 29, 2016 22:46

Varkk: Apr 17, 2004

another shill for giant meteor.

# ? Aug 30, 2016 00:01

klen dool: May 7, 2007; Okay well me being wrong in some limited situations doesn't change my overall point.

Ratios and Tendency posted:

All benefits will accrue to whoever owns the robots.

Yeah that is what will probably happen, but one can live in hope

# ? Aug 30, 2016 01:10

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Varkk posted:

another shill for giant meteor.

Can we start a party? How much cabinet funds do you need to strap a booster onto a near earth asteroid anyway?

# ? Aug 30, 2016 01:43

Ivor Biggun: Apr 30, 2003; A big "Fuck You!" from the Keyhole nebula; Lipstick Apathy

Something something National party scumbag.

Christchurch National Party leader apologises for praising the 'sweet explosive justice' of Kiwisaver weapons investment
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/pol...pons-investment

# ? Aug 30, 2016 02:31

Ghostlight: Sep 25, 2009; maybe for one second you can pause; try to step into another person's perspective, and understand that a watermelon is cursing me

Oh, well as long as he wasn't wearing his National Party Leader hat then it's fine.

# ? Aug 30, 2016 03:02

Ivor Biggun: Apr 30, 2003; A big "Fuck You!" from the Keyhole nebula; Lipstick Apathy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsHoL6xNK5A&t=537s

# ? Aug 30, 2016 03:49

Ivor Biggun: Apr 30, 2003; A big "Fuck You!" from the Keyhole nebula; Lipstick Apathy

What's 42,000 divided by 2000?

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/twyford-has-well-and-truly-jumped-shark-paula-bennett-jw-p-193616

quote:

National�s Minister of Social Housing Paula Bennett has taken a swipe at Labour�s Phil Twyford over his call for the government to �declare a state of emergency over New Zealand�s homelessness crisis.�

Mr Twyford, Labour�s spokesman for housing, made the comments over the weekend, saying there are 42,000 people homeless and living in severe housing stress while National behaves like �a possum in the headlights.�

�It is time to declare a state of emergency and treat this crisis with the urgency it deserves.�

He says when the government declares a state of emergency, in times of natural disasters, it galvanises all the necessary resources so it can act quickly and decisively.

The last time the government declared a state of emergency was after the devastating Christchurch earthquake in February 2011.

Ms Bennett says Mr Twyford has �well and truly jumped the shark� on this issue.

�He�s engaging his mouth without thinking first and it�s not clear what he really expects to happen.�

She says the army being called in or tent cities being erected would not be the most effective way to help people who have fallen on hard times.

�We�re in the middle of one of the largest building booms ever, we�re building 2000 new social houses over the next couple of years and we�re growing the supply by helping community organisations play a bigger role.�

She says the government already has a $50 million work programme under way, which will go to community housing providers and toward financial support which doesn't have to be paid back for people in emergency situations.

But Mr Twyford says this will have little impact as it�s not a programme for the homeless.

He tells NBR ONLINE when it comes to the spend on the government�s actual homelessness initiative, that figure is closer to $10 million a year.

�Just $10 million a year is utterly inadequate given that agencies, such as the Salvation Army, are saying this is the worst level of homelessness in living memory.�

He says the government still has yet to announce anything like the funding and resource commitments needed to make serious headway on the problem.

It seems they were also promising 2000 new social houses over three years ago. Even before they started selling excess housing stock.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10865733

As usual, one should never read the comments. Including on NBR.

quote:

#1 by AndyB 3 hours ago

There is a state of emergency... the complete lack of any credible opposition to National.

This is just a long line of embarrassing ill-conceived announcements from Labour which only reinforce the idea that National needn't do anything for the next 12 months and merely turn up at the election to gain a 4th term.

There is simply no credible alternative.

#2 by The Moose 3 hours ago

Good to see the politicians have had the weekend off and have refreshed their jawbone muscles to have another go at the hyperbole merry-go-round.

Twyford really has lost the plot if he thinks the Auckland Real Estate Bubble is akin to the CHCH earthquakes and truly believes the Army should get involved, and Bennett really is quite blind if she truly thinks it is just merely a "challenge" and thinks that the current government are doing enough. Both clearly do not understand how the property cycle works either.

The truth usually lies between the two extremes...

#3 by Andrew Redwood 1 hour ago

Declaring a state of emergency could actually be a good idea. If it allows the government to bypass the resource (mis)management act. And all the stupid council rules that caused the housing crisis in the first place.

# ? Aug 30, 2016 04:48

Ghostlight: Sep 25, 2009; maybe for one second you can pause; try to step into another person's perspective, and understand that a watermelon is cursing me

To be fair, declaring an emergency would allow the government to circumvent all the council rules that led to the housing crisis _{which were mandated by a national government _{which the unitary plan seeks to undo}}

# ? Aug 30, 2016 04:53

Big Bad Beetleborg: Apr 8, 2007; Things may come to those who wait...but only the things left by those who hustle.

I clicked on this like 4 seconds ago and I'm bored already:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufD9BjEZ_c4

# ? Aug 31, 2016 00:34

Moo Cowabunga: Jun 15, 2009; [Office Worker.

Welcome to sweet sweet justice. Live. You're welcome.

# ? Aug 31, 2016 05:10

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# ? May 26, 2024 17:40

Ivor Biggun: Apr 30, 2003; A big "Fuck You!" from the Keyhole nebula; Lipstick Apathy

NZ tops IMF's housing unaffordability list: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/83750475/nz-tops-imfs-housing-unaffordability-list

quote:

New Zealand has topped another international measure of housing unaffordability.

The International Monetary Fund's quarterly global housing watch report shows that New Zealand outpaced 31 other countries for house prices to income in the first quarter of this year.

quote:

Housing Minister Nick Smith said he did not have time to look at the report and declined to comment.

# ? Aug 31, 2016 05:31

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