If National wins ...

[blackcap]

The stone cottage I called home, with several others had four walls and one door and four small windows. That was two rooms created by the dividing wall and the door kept the chickens out. it didn't have electricity or water and the toilet was a hole out there somewhere. My shed would be a palace by comparison and I have managed to get to my eightieth year in cracking good health. The word slum and the word poverty are used in NZ as political slogans by people who have never understood either.

Well said craic. Cannot agree more. We society/the media have created a bunch of pansies who cannot handle anything. My aunt and uncle came to this land 30 odd years ago, bought a 120 acre dairy farm but with no house. No problems, they quickly erected a garage (no insulation) and lived in there for 3 years till the farm was running ok and they had spare cash ie (bank would grant a loan) to build a house. Remember staying in their house (garage) and never a problem. There was a pot belly to heat things in winter and a kitchen in the corner but no other mod cons. They never complained but it was their determination to get the farm going that got them to where they are now.

[iceman]

Good post craic and so true

[Daytr]

Seems there are plenty of people living in sheds, mostly in South Auckland!

[craic]

Forty years or more ago we went ot stay with "uncle Jack and Aunty Moire" in their small state rental unit in Avondale. We stayed in a large tent on the lawn. Every evening at around 10 pm a bunch of about six Islanders would file out of the house and down into the little tool shed down the garden where they slept. So the problem is not new. The Irish newspapers have exactly the same tale to tell and its costing millions to house people in hotels and the like.

[elZorro]

Forty years or more ago we went ot stay with "uncle Jack and Aunty Moire" in their small state rental unit in Avondale. We stayed in a large tent on the lawn. Every evening at around 10 pm a bunch of about six Islanders would file out of the house and down into the little tool shed down the garden where they slept. So the problem is not new. The Irish newspapers have exactly the same tale to tell and its costing millions to house people in hotels and the like.

But isn't it the point, Craic, that the problem is getting much worse under National's watch?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=11650103

Now even the National Party has to admit that the market isn't working, and they'll have to step in to help it along, with cheaper housing. In other words, pinch some of Labour's policies - once again. Because they don't have any positive ones themselves.

https://www.greens.org.nz/sites/defa...y%20Report.pdf

Local body elections generally favoured Labour-leaning candidates.. could be an interesting bet next year.

[fungus pudding]

But isn't it the point, Craic, that the problem is getting much worse under National's watch?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=11650103

Now even the National Party has to admit that the market isn't working, and they'll have to step in to help it along, with cheaper housing. In other words, pinch some of Labour's policies - once again. Because they don't have any positive ones themselves.

https://www.greens.org.nz/sites/defa...y%20Report.pdf

Local body elections generally favoured Labour-leaning candidates.. could be an interesting bet next year.

Now now eZ. You know you're just being silly.

[iceman]

Local body elections generally favoured Labour-leaning candidates.. could be an interesting bet next year.

Labour leaning candidates like Dalziel and Goff who both claimed to be running as independents and Goff even running on National blue hoardings. Those 2 ex Labour Ministers not exactly enthusiastic about being branded Labour are they ? Probably since they know what a damaged brand it is !!

[fungus pudding]

Labour leaning candidates like Dalziel and Goff who both claimed to be running as independents and Goff even running on National blue hoardings. Those 2 ex Labour Ministers not exactly enthusiastic about being branded Labour are they ? Probably since they know what a damaged brand it is !!

I've always felt Goff found himself in the wrong party.

[artemis]

Seems there are plenty of people living in sheds, mostly in South Auckland!

I have a fair bit of experience with state and also emergency housing. Of course every situation is different but there are some common themes. Debt and a problematic tenancy record being chief among them, neither easy to extricate from.

Much easier not to accrue debt or a poor tenancy record in the first place.

Given that some 9 out of 10 applications to the Tenancy Tribunal (and we are talking tens of thousands every year) are from landlords, most for arrears and/or damage, it is not hard to see why those on the TT database are not top of a private landlord's list. And have to take what accommodation they can get.

[craic]

I have a subscription to the Irish Times and their homelessness problem is exactly similar to here. USA and Canada are the same. I remember the war years when Britain built thousands of Nissan Huts to accommodate people bombed out of their homes. Many were very happy with their lot and took great pride in their little gardens outside the concrete jungle. They took just days to build and there are still a very small number occupied by happy residents. I think that they were meant to last ten years but quite a lot were still there in the late fifties.