Nice list Labour – but what have you done for me lately?
Labour have probably won the next election. The nifty, ‘we will build houses while National will sell them’ is the perfect simplistic juxtaposition that loads emotional attachment where ideology once resided.
It’s as simple to understand and resonate with as the Iwi/Kiwi billboards. Labour have played a populist card but have appealed to our better angels rather than our lesser angels to achieve it.
Unfortunately it’s a pretty threadbare present for a 100 year birthday.
Labour have announced that they will build 1000 state houses a year until demand is met.
So with 40 000 homeless now, Labour will be on top of the problem in 40 years time? Firstly that seems underwhelming and secondly it presupposes Labour will be in Government for the next 40 years. It’s a bit like saying the All Blacks will win the next 4 decades of Rugby World Cups. Now, while I’m sure the All Blacks might just be able to do that, does Andrew Little think Labour are the All Blacks?
Hell, we currently have 34,000 people in severe housing deprivation who need 20,000 homes – -it’ll take 20 years just to house them before we even get to the homeless!
This isn’t a solution, but it is an election winning branding exercise.
They forgot something from their list – Introduced Neoliberalism and Didn’t apologise for it. Nothing about undoing some of the meanest welfare reforms either so for those living at the bottom there is no hope introduced with Labour getting into govt.
What’s sorry going to do? Has Holland, Muldoon, Bolder Shipley John key and Bill English apologized? Goff apologized and said they were wrong in 2011, so did it change anything Slumbergod? That apology argument doesn’t wash, there was a successful Labour government that had 3 terms in power since then.
Most of Labour’s policies and their details will not be announced until election time. Labour’s website makes that clear.
So how far back exactly does a party now made up of different people have to apologise for the wrongs of their predecessors?
NZ is never going to get anywhere as long as people keep dragging us backwards & re-litigating past errors. The current Labour party is moving forward and offering hope to our young people, which has been sadly lacking for many years.
Either we get behind them and move forward or we have another term of a John Key lead government and suffer continued degradation of the things that matter to New Zealanders. The choice is yours to make.
Well said SUZYIAM, totally agree with you.
How many people does it take to build 1000 houses per year?
How many metres of wood?
How many thousands of nails, screws, hammers, etc, etc?
How much fuel is needed?
Yes, there’s 40,000 homeless but there also happen to be about 30,000 empty homes. And that’s just in Auckland.
When people complain that what a political party promises just isn’t enough they’re usually ignoring a little thing called reality. Real economics, the actual resources available over a time period.
This 1000 houses per year will probably do it – as long as it comes with legislation that puts those 30,000 empty homes to use helping to house the homeless.
Well said DRACO T BASTARD.
“This 1000 houses per year will probably do it – as long as it comes with legislation that puts those 30,000 empty homes to use helping to house the homeless.”
Yes. But can you see Labour stopping local speculators? They racebait and blame anyone but local wealthy people.
And nz built 10,000 state houses per year in the 1950s. So why can’t we build them now? Now we need apartments instead of quarter acre housing. 5K minimum from a party built on social housing.
Does Labour want to see the value of housing drop? I’d say no.
I get your point that this can work if other policies are put forward, but if building 1000 state houses per year signifies their position, then I don’t hold any hope.
This policy is in line with Clark’s version of neo liberalism. So yeah, not impressed.
Labour leader Andrew Little says the policy will have restrictions to stop people buying properties and selling them for a quick buck.
Little will outline the plans in New Lynn today as part of a wider housing policy package. The policy is for 100,000 new affordable homes nationwide, including 50,000 in Auckland, more than the 40,000 Labour promised in 2013.
Do you want John key ans his nats to remain in power Fatty?
You can post 100 times on this thread if you wish, but Labour are still neoliberal and you won’t talk me into voting for better neoliberalism because John Key sux.
We all know National and Key sux.
I’m not trying to talk you into anything. So, do i take it then from your response that you would rather John key, although he sux, to remain in power, rather than have a Lab/Green government? Is that correct?
Wonder if it is the minimum requirement for the new HousingNZ ministry to undertake, while the government builds more homes.
I totally agree. These people expecting an instant fix really should be voting National. They’re the party that deals with fantasies and mis-truths.
If it’s fairy tales they wan’t – John Key’s the man to promise them. They can go vote National & take their never-ending requirement for apologies with them.
The rest of us are looking to the future.
Agreed Suzyiam
would a better goal not have been to get 1000 families into their own houses
To add to Labour’s announcement of a substantial increase in much needed emergency housing……
Labour would stop state house sell-off, scrap Housing NZ payments to Govt
Housing New Zealand is being used as a “cash cow” and should not have to pay tens of millions of dollars in dividends to the Government each year, Labour leader Andrew Little says.
At Labour’s centennial conference in Wellington, Little announced his party would abolish the requirement for Housing NZ to pay a dividend to the Government each year, instead focusing solely on providing enough state houses.
Last September, it was revealed Housing NZ would pay the Government a $118 million dividend for the 2015/16 financial year – the largest in five years.
Little said the Government was using the state house provider as a “cash cow”, when it should be focused on helping people in need.
“National has used Housing NZ to profit from the most vulnerable and turned it into a glorified property management company.”
The Government had received $664 million in dividends from Housing NZ while only putting in $141 million, Little claimed.
Changing Housing NZ into a public service, rather than a corporation, would give the organisation more money to ensure existing state houses were warm and dry, while building more houses to meet demand.
Frontline staff cut by the Government would be brought back, while waitlists and eligibility assessments would be handled by a new housing ministry, rather than the Ministry of Social Development.
‘FOCUS ON PEOPLE, NOT PROFITS’
Little said Labour would stop the Government’s sell-off of state houses and “substantially increase” the number of available state houses.
“Ensuring that Housing NZ focuses on people, not profits, is an essential part in addressing the housing crisis,” he said.
The announcement is the second in a series of housing policies from Labour this week, as the party puts pressure on the Government over rising levels of homelessness and skyrocketing house prices.
On Thursday, Little announced a $60 million package for emergency housing, which he said would put a roof over the heads of more than 5000 homeless people each year.
Another, major housing policy from Labour will be announced at an event in Auckland on Sunday afternoon.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/81936537/labour-would-stop-state-house-selloff-scrap-housing-nz-payments-to-govt
Liza Owen can be such a bitch, great that Andrew Little didn’t let her get to him. Why she asks is Labour getting no traction in the polls? because I thought, people like her in the media are not being fair and unbiased and are refusing to give Labour and the opposition parties a fair go.
By the way, Shearer and Cunliffe are no longer Labour’s leaders, Labour is under a new administration, I don’t see those in the media questioning the policies of John key’s predecessors to what he is doing now.
Labour’s big housing announcement is tomorrow.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/nznews/labour-promises-1000-state-houses-a-year-until-demand-met-2016070912#axzz4DhengYvO
Andrew Little is going to involve the unemployed in Labour’s housing scheme!!!.
How about 1000 apartments that are well designed and well built,
with lovely green space to be shared. It is important that new state housing in the year 2017 forward, complies with a compact city plan, where
we walk ,cycle and use public transport.
Its wait and see for tomorrows announcement before condemning them.
Unfortunately Labour will be condemned by some no matter what they do, despite being tens of thousands better than the do nothing lying key National government. Labour are damned if they do, and damned if they don’t.
Furthermore we have Keys $3 billion tax cut bribe that National have to factor in. How the hell are they going to that without both freezing the already tenuous state sector budgets and without cutting them and services as well. And I will not accept their bullshit bond system or SERCO type arrangements.
I’m sure ACT can work with Labour when they get to power.
ACT have worked with many neo-liberal and reluctant neo-liberals before, some say by stealth and as reaction to uber-socialist Muldoonsism, but ACT is a party that can support great political parties who strive for future wealth.
A vote for ACT will be a vote for a wealthy future, with low taxes.
Experience what it is like to be a dinosaur on the brink of extinction!
Support ACT!
ACT? Oh you mean that one show pony that only got a seat because John Key ordered Nat voters to support them?
ACT is a suitable name for them, because they’re certainly not a ‘real’ political party.
Lol very true!!
David See More Nonsense, you live in a political lala land, as ACT may not even be in the next Parliament.
Support ACT – you must be stupid. Douglas and his cronies have done enough damage to ruin this once great little country. ACT theories belong in the trash heap. Trickle Down – Indeed?
I await Andrew Little’s big pronouncement…but I would be more convinced if the remaining pro neo-liberalists all resigned and put the party back on track…after all it was Labour that introduced charges for University education, labour that stole the seabed and shore line. Saying one is sorry, changes nothing…and a so-called peoples party that won’t introduce a capital gains tax can hardly be called a peoples party. It takes more guts to do the right thing than to do next to nothing for those paying the price for all those Roger Douglas wasted years…when he and the party sold out to Thatcher and Reagan.
This could be a turning point…or it could be yet more of the same.
Yes Roger Douglas and Richard Prebble are visionaries, as you well point out Peter.
Sir Roger deserves his knighthood and Richard Prebble’s CBE should have been one as well. Don Brash, John Banks and Jamie Whyte are certainly in line for knighthoods as ACT’s bottom line when we are in negotiations for power-sharing after 2017 elections.
ACT is about low taxes, future wealth and rewarding visionaries of the neo-liberal way.
Going by your logic we may as well in posthumous mode award a knighthood to Saddam Hussein as well.
It will only be a turning point if they set themselves up well for winning next years election. If what they present is lukewarm, forget a change of government next year.
I thought presents were given to those having birthdays, not uninvited (grumpy) guests.
You ar a bloody bore, bradbury.
Why should this policy win an election? Yes the electorate is pretty dumb, but surely even they can do arithmetic that simple.
The Housing crisis is one of National’s greatest weaknesses. Labour and other opposition parties have a housing plan, National don’t.
Oh they have a housing plan alright, to ensure the most houses go to the few to play roulette with. It’s all about a fast buck, like a used car yard! Funny that given our PM.
Anyway Labour have announced kit set housing of different forms with anti speculator conditions attached for first home buyers at 50000 units over 10 years. Realistic and do-able. Now what about dealing to speculators and overseas punters?
Very true Re: nats, Along with pointing the finger at the Reserve Bank, John key and Paula Bennett are now blaming Kiwis for not leaving the country to go overseas for the housing crisis that they say doesn’t exist. I kid you not. !!!
Yes Andrew Little is going to deal to speculators and overseas punters. they are expected to take a hit under Labour’s scheme to get Kiwis into their own homes whether it be state or first home ownership..
To be honest, I expect little to come from Labour. I was actually a bit pleasantly surprised by today’s announcement, that they want to abolish Housing NZ Corporation and turn it (back) into a state ministry of sorts, like WINZ is for other social welfare matters.
That must be welcome, it is a step in the right direction.
We may be a bit disappointed with the thousand homes a year they intend to build, which will mostly not be houses as we know them, but rather blocks containing smaller to medium size units, multi-level, possibly built cheaply and not of the best quality.
At least they are committing to build social or rather state housing now, which is what they have as a party in government themselves neglected for years. The numbers should perhaps be higher, given the demand, but we know also, that Labour do not want to upset their potential middle class voters, some of whom will have a high value home, which would drop in value if too many homes get built too soon. Some will even have investments in one or two other homes, to rent them out, so they have additional income when they retire.
Labour is juggling the policies it brings out, weighing up carefully the potential voter groups it needs to attract. They will want to avoid crashing the housing market, same as the Nats, as that will turn too many voters against them, they know it.
It shows us what disaster National and their allies in government have created for us, with a much overvalued, unaffordable housing market. Crashing prices will lead to serious financial and economic implications, and most parties are too scared to cause this to happen. We are stuck with high home prices for years to come, thanks Key, English and the rest in government, who have acted in criminal negligence, as I would see it.
`Nice list Labour – but what have you done for me lately’?
Labour haven’t been in the driving seat, so they haven’t been in a position to do anything for you, you posturing fool!
`So with 40 000 homeless now, Labour will be on top of the problem in 40 years time’?
Oh, so they’re not families, Bradbury?
Every single one of them needs their own house?
What does the budget they’re going to inherit allow for?
National couldn’t wish for a better friend than you.
Write for Whaleoil, do you?
No wonder you were sacked.
You wouldn’t make a journalists ring piece!
Yes, don’t know what’s going on there, but there’s a worrying pattern emerging, as there was a similar negative attack on the Lab/Greens MoU as well. Then as now, am upset and angry at his reaction.. Labour hasn’t even completed all of its announcements yet, but got condemned anyway. It just doesn’t make any sense and contrary to the message given out on the shows. Very Jekyll and Hyde. This beat up is so counter productive and hugely disappointing.
Needed is research into efficient, warm, secure housing..houses are still eing built the same way they were 150 years ago.. new materials, techniques, and mass production will bring down construction costs. But missing is the social infrastructure- the shops, banks, libraries etc…also public transport. – if there is a decent transport system then we can dispense with the garages, carports etc.. which should save a fair bit….
Does Andrew Little think Labour are the All Blacks? No, but John key thinks he is an All Black, he had his photo taken as one that appeared on the cover of a magazine that was distributed to every store, supermarket and book sellers throughout the country in the 2014 election campaign, just before voting, so howz that for branding?
“Labour have probably won the next election…” Would he rather John key and his Nats remain in power?
“Little will outline the plans in New Lynn today as part of a wider housing policy package. The policy is for 100,000 new affordable homes nationwide, including 50,000 in Auckland, more than the 40,000 Labour promised in 2013.” Herald.
If we made it illegal for a house to be left empty for more than 4 months, we could house everyone before Xmas, it’s just an issue of govenance
And its governance that we don’t have under the Key regime.
And if a government had the gust to impose at least a ten percent land tax on developable, unused land, sitting idle for more than a year, we would not have many land-bankers left in the country.
WORDS SAID;
‘Yes, don’t know what’s going on there, but there’s a worrying pattern emerging, as there was a similar negative attack on the Lab/Greens MoU as well. Then as now, am upset and angry at his reaction.. Labour hasn’t even completed all of its announcements yet, but got condemned anyway.’
Yes you are correct here words. FRUSTRATION IS APPEARING HERE.
The people are sitting out there in damp cold cars desperately waiting for old Michael Savage to return and see Andrew as not sending the warmth in words that can ease their broken hearts mate.
If David Cunliffe showed a deep sense of compassion as he did often we should see this now more than ever then we will see the anger subside, as Andrew is not sending real human emotions here as David did.
I am not advocating leader change but a more kinder caring ist term Helen Clark type inclusive leadership and he can do it if guided back to connection with the masses and not only from Wellington please.
We in Gisborne had no meeting yet SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SUBJECT OF SAVING OUR RAIL.
Saving our rail with Andrew, AND A COMITTMENT IS NEEDED HERE! and WE HAVE ON SEVERAL OCASSIONS requested such a meeting and yet to receive the nod that he will come for a rail meeting with the community group dealing with specific issues around how to save the rail before its gone forever!
If we ask Winston he would come at a moments notice, so if the end of this weekend no mention comes from Andrew what would you do????
So we are just one of many who have not had Andrew meet the people as he promised in his first year.
SEE THE POINT? WE NEED CONNECTIVITY TO LABOUR WE ALL HAD WITH THE CLARK GOVERNMENT.
[…] 1000 new state houses per year is honestly meaningless when we have 40 000 homeless. Sure, it’s better than selling them off, but as an eye witness to the madness of our housing crisis from doing Waatea 5th Estate for six months now, the pain, anguish and social damage occurring to those in the deepest poverty will only be marginally better off under Labour’s plan. […]
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