You know it.
I know it.
We are all responsible for the Loafers Lodge Tragedy.
These are the people society has forgotten and contemptuously pushed away.
These are people who don’t qualify for State Housing and proper wrap around services because those services are expensive and we refuse point blank to tax the rich more money to pay for that infrastructure.
It is far cheaper to house them in a squalid block exempt from proper fire regulations because that would cost money and these peoples lives are not worth that investment are they?
We are all responsible for the Loafers Lodge Tragedy.
We refuse to take Golf courses back and build them into affordable and state housing hubs.
We refuse to build more State Houses preferring to kettle beneficiaries into unsafe motels.
We refuse to look at the IRD report that showed NZ Capitalism is rigged for the rich and Bernard Hickey tells us this has cost us $200billion in revenue!
DO NOT DARE PRETEND YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT FIRE!
There will be the performative art of grief expressed by Politicians and the humble thumbs up from community leaders for the outpouring of good will and how it brings out the best in us and thoughts and prayers and
and
and
and nothing will change until the next multiple death fire.
There are 14 Billionaires in NZ + 3118 ultra-high net worth individuals with over $50million, let’s start by taxing them, then move onto the Banks, then the Property Speculators, the Climate Change polluters and big industry!
Our collective denial over how our underfunded social infrastructure fed a tragedy like Loafers Lodge is beneath the mana of the moment.
Tax. The. Rich.
PS: Liam Hockings was a Facebook Comrade of mine. He deserved much better than this.
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“These are the people society has forgotten and contemptuously pushed away.”
To the point that we have never pushed back against the neoliberal mentality that led to this, then sure, we are to blame….but this is just the tip of the iceberg.
We, the people are no longer, perhaps never have been, politically minded, hence why economic inequality is continuously rising, public services are perennially underfunded, and the very wealthiest among us, including the vehicles that helps create their wealth, are grossly under taxed.
It all starts with political engagement, that’s what places like this should be for, but forever barking more taxes on the rich instead of pushing back against the political system that has got us to where we are, is not the right type of political engagement in my book.
I know a tragedy should not be a wasted opportunity, but there is no way this happened because we aren’t taxing the rich enough. The individuals that allowed this building to operate as accommodation without fire alarms (a residential new or commercial build couldn’t do that) when at the cost of a few hundred dollars the owners could go to a hardware shop and purchase off the shelf fire alarms and maintain them (ie test and if necessary change the batteries when the clock change). At least the ones you can buy fairly cheaply would have alerted people to get out quicker although not as effective as sprinkler systems.
“… nothing will change until the next multiple death fire”…
You have described our situation very well – until this phrase.
But nothing will change even then, when we have the next multiple death fire – or similar!
We – the majority of us – are just too comfortable and smug in our own little world.
It won’t happen until, to use an ancient phrase, someone very brave, or foolish, “upends the money-changers tables in the temple”. Just interpret that for today in A/NZ….
And I doubt very much that will happen as we don’t have anyone brave – or foolish – enough to do it.
They are all just saying stuff endlessly, but total ‘do nothings’, the lot of them.
Last year, after the breakdown of a giant fire fighting ladder truck, FENZ assistant national commander and Wellington region manager Bruce Stubbs told RNZ: “There are no concerns for public safety.
When asked by Morning Report today if having this second truck at Loafers Lodge would have helped the rescue, Stubbs said: “I don’t know.”
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/490052/newtown-hostel-fire-firefighters-pretty-cut-up-they-couldn-t-rescue-more-people-as-second-ladder-truck-unavailable
Sounds like a really bright guy ?
Ngungukai I assume that you are being serious, and I agree. This is probably the only response which an intelligent responsible person could make in these circumstances.
Wrong. This terrible tragedy has to be laid at the feet of the Wellington City Council who inspected the death trap a short time beforehand, and decided that it passed muster. Every inch of their inspection criteria needs to be examined, and not by the monkeys from Wellington Zoo. The council is cute on the woke cosmetics, while tritely sidelining fresh water, and storm water, and costly crappy electricity, and potholes on unlit pavements and roadsides, so let them explain themselves about this night of horror.
100% Snow White. The first sane comment
The redponsibility is clear. Documented.
100% Snow White
Yes Snow White so true, but we should note that this council responsibility has been subcontracted to private companies – another failure of privatisation.
Peter Kelly. If it transpires that WCC contractors have been sub-optimal, then it should become an employment issue between them and the council, and I daresay the question of where ultimate responsibility lies, becomes a legal issue.
You might be responsible, you are the one pretending that Labour & the Greens actually care about these people & issues, when all evidence points to the fact that they don’t.
Provide all evidence Helen.
Have you read any of the NZ newspapers .They spell out each day the lawless state of our country is in and the pain business people are in trying to find staff and the storis of poverty and homelessness the evidence is there for those that are not blinkered by their politican leaning
Lawless? The country hasn’t descended into some sort of mad max style post apocalyptic waste land. Perhaps you exaggerate.
I think NSC actually lives in Egypt, somewhere near de Nile.
So that would be a no then to hell n beck, no evidence.
Gun crime is up, armed robberies up & people shot at home or because of road rage, people stabbed to death in road rage incidents etc. Nah, everything is perfectly normal in little old New Zealand. Nothing to see, nothing to fear, we’re all happy & contented. The Government loves & cares for us.
Helen Beck Most people in New Zealand are safe from being harmed by others in their homes, and on the streets and byways. Most people are decent and law abiding; the actions of politicians and criminals are not representative of the majority.
to hell n beck a plethora on innuendo but no stats. I’ll give an example…
Gun crime is down, armed robberies down & people safe at home or because of road courtesy, people supported incidents etc. Yeah, everything is perfectly normal in little old New Zealand. Nothing to see, nothing to fear, we’re all happy & contented. The Government loves & cares for us.
prove me wrong ?
So your “politician” leaning, which is to the right reads the paper but doesn’t go past the negative. Lowest unemployment on record in our “lawless state”. Investment in 1600 more police in our “lawless” state.
What’s criminal is the underinvestment by the Nact government for 9 years where they froze police funding, infrastructure etc, etc, etc.
Truly disgraceful. Allowing a bank office to be turned into an overcrowded vertical slum, and not even bothering to require sprinklers.
We were told after the fire at the Childers Palace Hotel that such a thing couldn’t happen any more.
You have to wonder how bad things will have to get before people finally become angry and hit the streets.
Obviously someone in the Wellington Council is going to get there arse kicked ???
I can’t understand why sprinklers were not deemed applicable for this type of setting. And what happened to the smoke alarm s.
And yes , agree they should not be living there in the first place. Ghost House s that have not been used in 12 months by overseas owners should be used.
Best response I have read to this disaster, Bomber. Thank you.
The CTV building.
Pike River.
Loafers Lodge.
A litany of preventable disasters caused by our adherence to neoliberalism.
Well said Ed
In direct contrast to the usual rant by Bob.
Or we can develop a society where there is less potential for people to get to this point in life therefore have solutions that don’t resemble ambulances at the bottom of the cliff
This would have been impossible during the Full Employment Policy (homelessness didn’t exist)
Frank the Tank are u suggesting a UBI.
No I’m suggesting basing welfare on a hand up not a hand out. Intergenerational welfare is kryptonite for Western democracies.
I don’t think you have a right to decide who can eat and who can eat well. And I’m dam well sure the government has no right at all to decide who can and can’t burn in a fucking house fire.
I think a just system would contain at least a floor where basic dignity can be maintained. Y’know house everyone. Nutritious meals. Parents are incentivesed to stay together and supported.
Like if you can’t produce babies then yeah I do think it’s okay to get back to work but the ultimate goal is producing a prosperous nation and I’m not sure how arbitrarly cutting welfare will achieve that.
This has got nothing to do with me. I blame the government for placing the poor in substandard, high density hostels and forgetting about them. I blame the government for unbridled immigration which is compounding the problem with the inability to house our own residents let alone these migrants (no new migrant should be in short term accommodation because they come here on the condition that they can support themselves indefinitely). I blame the government for selling New Zealand out to property speculators who couldn’t care less whether someone has the human right of shelter. I blame the government for their absolute resistance to the fact of our living and housing crisis, for instead spending New Zealand’s wealth on covering up their infrastructure neglect or on expired flu shots or even weapons of mass destruction, all the while boasting about some pathetic surplus, or defeating the climate bogeyman instead of pollution, or even worse, posing with photos with some greasy, unelected war pig UK PM, grinning at the prospect of sending his radioactive bombs to kill kids. And we are to believe our government cares about the homeless at home when we send weapons and support to kill kids abroad?
and who is it that keeps electing this evil Gubmint?
Speak for yourself buddy. Some of us publically advocated to The Govt to mandate for fire sprinklers be installed within all these type of accommodation facilities over twenty five years ago. But they ignored that advice and refused to change Building Codes rules to allow this to occur retrospectively. Anyone remember the New Empire Hotel fire and all the reports written after that?? Govt and Local Body regulators are the ones with the blood on their hands.
WOW ???
Gregory Mein is the owner, where does his responsibility lie.
Making money out of misery no doubt. Anyone know anything else about him?
Let em burn
Did you really just type that? That’s a horrible thing to say.
You got dropped on your head by your mother to didn’t you.
It’s unfortunate. The difference between you and I is I can still get on with my day.
I paid $50k in taxes last year. Aussie welfare is getting a $40 a week boost. And I’ll be able to vote in Australia next election.
I don’t like the AUKUS subs but the equivalent position in NZDF gets half.
You don’t know me. You’re out of bullets, food, ideas now what? You want people like me save New Zealand? I’m standing here with a handfull of matches.
Oh, off your meds again.
Wait. When you say “off your meds again” I just want to clarify what you mean by that that I’m medicated?
I don’t understand your logic. Feel free to concede that your victim mentality lasted one comment before going all woke shame, insult, guilt and need to be right debate tactics.
Nice day sir.
Sir?
To be fair to Sam one can never assume in this day and age?
Blame…
Who or whatever started the fire.
Then one step removed, IF the place was not up to fire standards, then the owner of the building,
Then the council for not breaching the failures that meant it wasn’t up to standard but only IF it was not at the time of inspection.
And as much as I would like to blame Marama Davidson, Minister for Homelessness, and the smug puritanical Green Party for their duplicitous holier that thou shtick, I cannot. It’s not hers or their fault.
Nor is it the man or woman in the street because unless you want the government deep in everyone’s lives, beyond the worst of the covid laws, beyond North Korean levels of personal freedom interference, being told when to breathe, the rest of mankind cannot dictate to another precisely how to live their lives to not end up in a hostel building fire!
Totally agree with Editor Martyn on this one.
NZ economy runs on capital gains from property and a deregulation regime that ensures it is hard to make anyone with power accountable for anything.
So, A) keep Natzos/ACT well away from political office in 2023, and B) build a strong left movement for the future. New gens will trash Rogernomics before the remaining boomers eyes in 2026.
You think. The new gens have no idea how egalitarian this country was. I don’t hear them advocating any solutions to the banking/housing system that would even enable them to more easily buy a first home. Born into neoliberalism and accepting of neoliberalism. They are happy to just say ok boomer and eat pronouns.
Hope so. But have not those new generations been brainwashed by previous gens that Neoliberal policies are the only way. It’s a legacy in the higher levels of New Zealand society is my worry.
But it’s never us, it’s always them.
New Zealand is a Joke, both National & Labour MP’s don’t give a pig’s arse about anybody else but themselves and there own ultra-ego’s. The Beehive needs levelling and start off from scratch.
Agree with Mart. But also have to say what a good discussion on here today. Many salient points.
But the truth is this is just the tip of the iceberg. Wellington CC and Winz have been stuffing the vulnerable into backpackers and hostels in their hundreds in Wellington. It has turned the centre of what was a vibrant tourist hub into a moribund and quite dangerous place.
WCC has had endless complaints about the slums it has created (they have bottled up all the addicts in one particular building for example) and as I understand it, people have begged them for a resolution. Suggestions have been made that they turn some of these places into modern vulnerable people’s accommodation and have them staffed 24/7 by people who can keep an eye out and assist the residents. All with good facilities and high safety standards.
Other Govt policies and WCC have killed off both the CBD and the old leisure precinct so it is a particular problem here in Wellington though I am sure this same scenario is playing out across NZ to a lesser extent and no doubt Rotorua has it worse.
Everywhere you look the chickens are coming home to roost but despite Tory Whanau’s tears and many pollies in attendance dont expect anything at all to improve in the short or medium term. Truthfully until we get a change in political system or a coalition of the willing, it wont change in the longer term either.
Fantail. Yes. And if this was an arsonist’s work, chances are he’s a nutter, and should be in a mental hospital, and if we look further back, they were largely closed down with both dangerous and very vulnerable at-risk persons, sent back to be cared for by “ the community”, sometimes compassionate charities and NGO’s, and sometimes scum landlords exploiting them, although I am not suggesting that this was the case here. The reluctance of both major political parties to realistically address the basic issue of housing, may be part of another scenario.
A convicted arsonist frequented the charity shop I volunteered in. We were told not to sell him light bulbs or paraphernalia which he could use to start fires. He repeatedly tried to find out my name. He defecated on the mall floor. Lived in a local half-way house, used to pester people and beg, tried to engage with polite Asian students in the bus shelters, and the last I heard of him he’d relocated to Newtown.
The life of everybody in the Loafers’ Lodge that night has been changed forever, their community disbanded and gone.
Found the advertisement “ Faldos tips for older golfers” very useful.
“We are all responsible” I get where your coming from but I definitely assumed a 92 bed lodge would be required to have a sprinkler system. Then again if someone had said to me last week, “Can you believe a 92 bed lodge doesn’t have to have a sprinkler system?”, I would have answered yes unfortunately I can believe that.
Two questions. Had the requirement for sprinkler systems in hotels/lodges been downgraded in recent years? Who came up with the name “loafers” lodge?
Also, why don’t buildings have fire escapes on the exterior any more?
yes I agree we should care more for the flotsam and jetsom this society creates but – really – is it too soon to call the bottom on house prices?
No one will do anything about it though.
?
If All includes council oversight, then I completely agree. We must individually, and collectively/governmentally take responsibility for this tragedy and each other.
NZ of course is not unique like this. We used to care about our people. Neo-liberal/Milton Friedman ideology to which *all* major parties broadly agree prioritises GDP over public welfare. Time to get the pitchforks out?
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