I’ve put together some of the many comments being made about
Labours new housing policy…with the PM overseas doing the rounds with failed
political hacks…the panic button has been pushed by Stephen Joyce who has
created policy on the hoof. Bill English has joined the predictable opposition
with an off the cuff comment that will no doubt come back to bite his bum.
1:
From No Right turn: http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2016/07/a-solid-start-on-housing.html
“Over the weekend, Labour used its 100th birthday celebrations to
remind everyone of what the party can
be, by presenting a real alternative on housing. First, with a promise of more
money for emergency housing for the homeless. Second, by promising to rebuild
and grow the state housing stock, and turn Housing New Zealand from a
money-gouging slumlord into a public service department aimed at ensuring
everyone has a roof over their heads. Finally, with a mass
affordable-home building programme, underwritten by cheap government money
and the compulsory acquisition powers of the Public Works Act, to burst the
housing bubble. And as a bonus, extending the capital gains tax on rental
properties while eliminating negative
gearing.
Its a good combination of policies which tackles the problem head-on. And while National is trying to pretend it is what they were doing anyway (while simultaneously claiming that it won't work - so they think their policies don't work?), it is lightyears from their combination of foot-dragging and looking for someone to blame.
The tricky bit is going to be the delivery. Not the money side - that's easy enough - but whether they can build that many houses. Thanks to the running down of the education system, we have an under-supply of builders, which limits the capacity of the market to respond to shortage. But that's solvable in the medium-term, and this is a long-term policy - and I would rather have a government which actually tries to solve our problems than one which flings its hands up in despair at them (while privately making out like bandits at the expense of everyone else). And at the least, Labour looks like they're trying to earn a Ministerial salary, rather than National's demanding them for doing nothing.
Its a good combination of policies which tackles the problem head-on. And while National is trying to pretend it is what they were doing anyway (while simultaneously claiming that it won't work - so they think their policies don't work?), it is lightyears from their combination of foot-dragging and looking for someone to blame.
The tricky bit is going to be the delivery. Not the money side - that's easy enough - but whether they can build that many houses. Thanks to the running down of the education system, we have an under-supply of builders, which limits the capacity of the market to respond to shortage. But that's solvable in the medium-term, and this is a long-term policy - and I would rather have a government which actually tries to solve our problems than one which flings its hands up in despair at them (while privately making out like bandits at the expense of everyone else). And at the least, Labour looks like they're trying to earn a Ministerial salary, rather than National's demanding them for doing nothing.
2:
From Radio NZ.
A clear indicator of National’s panic button being pushed
yet again where half-truths replace actual facts…
3:
From Newshub.
Obvious confusion of brain power failure leads to the wind
blowing a tongue about, but what’s new!
4:
From RNZ…relating to amazing giant sized story of greed gone mad…it’s no wonder
why Auckland is more expensive than London these days…
From reading the above items you can see clearly how easy it
is to set the cat amongst the pigeons when government bases all its reactions
on public relations spin, half-truths and out and out fibs.
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