Our 2011 election manifesto - Labour Party

HOUSING
Our vision – A healthy, stable home for every child
Access to appropriate and affordable housing is central to achieving wellbeing and security
for all New Zealanders. A stable and healthy home environment underpins the health and
well-being of our families and children. Without it we will not be able to make the necessary
interventions to ensure that every child is able to reach their full potential.
Housing costs are the largest budget item for many low and middle income families. Housing
policy is absolutely critical when considering how to raise take home incomes and combat
the rising cost of living.
Labour also recognises the need to act urgently to address the critical shortage of housing
supply and housing affordability. There is no single way back to affordability and owning our
own future in housing. But turning current trends around and starting down the right track is
essential.
Supporting social housing to support families
Housing is one area where Labour knows we need to intervene to guarantee health and
secure outcomes.
Labour is committed to increasing and upgrading Housing New Zealand's state housing
stock. Labour also remains committed to the policy of income related rents for state house
tenants.
We need to invest in housing. The last Labour Government spent nine years repairing the
damage caused by a National Government that oversaw a fire-sale of nearly 13,000 state
houses, carried out no modernisation whatsoever, and introduced market rents plunging
tens of thousands of families into poverty overnight.
Despite the gains made by the last Labour Government, we are still playing catch-up.
The Housing New Zealand waiting list remains under pressure. Yet the government's
approach has been to make it harder for applicants to get on the waiting list, or to remove
them from the waiting list altogether.
Reforms in social housing and restructuring of Housing New Zealand have been hastily
pushed through with little or no consultation. The changes are already causing enormous
distress for tenants, and increased uncertainty for families. Restructuring will see local
Housing New Zealand offices closed, frontline staff fired, and existing staff made to work out
of their cars. Housing New Zealand is also pulling back from providing any pastoral care for
tenants, many of whom have high and complex needs.
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