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ACT and Greens urge action, not rhetoric, over housing

Published

3 years ago

July 6, 2023

Politicians on the left and right are at odds over a new housing report, but agree that what is really needed is getting more homes built.

The Human Rights Commission released the findings of its two-year inquiry into housing on Thursday, which found while governments over 50 years had agreed to the right to decent housing, not enough had been done.

Too many people were still living in cold, damp and mouldy homes, it said, recommending housing as a human right be enshrined in New Zealand law, and a new housing watchdog be set up.

Renters United president Geordie Rogers told RNZ such a watchdog would be helpful.

“There’s very little oversight in terms of how the government actually delivers on housing and we commonly see people trying to make the claim that housing has to be delivered while also delivering a profit, and that’s just not what we should be doing … we need to make sure people are housed, first and foremost.

He said several governments’ lack of response to the housing crisis amounted to an act of negligence. While the Healthy Homes Standards had been “fantastic” in showing what a healthy home should look like, he said they lacked enforcement.

“What we end up seeing is people who are paying over half their income on rent for a home that is actively making them sick and then costing them more money in the long term with things like hospital bills and time off work.”

They had spoken to ministers about those experiences but been told it did not match the data, he said.

“When you talk to people very single day and you understand the experiences that they’re going through and you understand the difficulty that the government has with collecting data from real people, it’s very very annoying to hear that the experiences that your members are having are not valid and not recognised by the government because they care more about the experiences of people with more money and wealth complaining about not being able to make homes affordable or safe to live in.”

What the Human Rights Commission was calling for was recognition that people deserved to live in a warm, dry home – something other countries had already done, he said.

But ACT leader David Seymour argued the commission’s recommendations would make little difference where it mattered.

“New Zealanders – and particularly, poorer New Zealanders – need and deserve serious supply side reform in the way that land use is planned, infrastructure is funded and financed, and buildings have their quality assurance done so that they can be more innovative building techniques.

“None of that is new. And none of that is in any way assisted by this latest waste-of-money doorstop which seems to come out of the government on an almost daily basis.

“What we need is a government that stops the waste sets the bureaucrats that don’t produce anything, it actually gets down to the practical problem solving of how do we ensure New Zealand becomes a first-world country again.”

ACT Party leader David Seymour.ACT leader David Seymour Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
ACT has long had a policy of abolishing the Human Rights Commission, and Seymour said the call for another watchdog was just one useless organisation proposing the creation of another.

“I could have told you that in any interview at any time, in the last nine years that I’ve been in Parliament,” he said.

“I don’t know why anyone thinks the Human Rights Commission wasting money and time for two years was a justifiable use of taxpayer funds to come to the same conclusion that a good fifth-form economics student could have reached.

“I think when people are really struggling to make ends meet, this kind of wasteful navel-gazing by a totally out-of-touch Wellington managerial class of pseudo-bureaucrats called the Human Rights Commission is just infuriating.”

He also criticised the report’s call for a te ao Māori-based approach to accountability on housing.

“This constant focus on pretending that my Māori ancestors – in the 500 or 600 years they lived in isolation in New Zealand invented particularly special insights that should be given the level of emphasis that many government departments currently do [give them] is a nonsense.

“It’s one of the things that is holding New Zealand back from being inclusive of all humanity and solving problems in a practical way using the best knowledge available.”

Green Party Housing Spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March welcomed the report, saying it was yet another voice calling for housing to be treated as a human right.

“We have had advocates for many years fighting for improved protections for tenants, but we’re pleased to see the Human Rights Commission adding to the growing number of voices calling for housing to be treated as a human right.”

Ricardo Menendez March in Select Committee.Ricardo Menendez March in Select Committee. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith
He supported the commission’s recommendations, including the greater oversight offered by a new watchdog, but said more important was the need to build more public housing and add rent controls.

“It’s a matter of political will whether we want to treat housing as a human right or not, and we need to elevate it beyond the rhetoric and abstract comments.”

Emergency housing also needed to be reviewed, he said, because those in it “effectively have no rights … in the nature of having any sort of tenancy agreements”.

VIA RNZ

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Police say person who fired gun at officers still at large

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2026

News Staff

Police say a person who fired a gun at officers in Napier is still at large.

Eastern District Commander Superintendent Joel Lamb said Police tried to stop a vehicle in the Pirimai Area at about 10pm on Tuesday.

He said someone in the back seat pointed what was presumed to be a firearm at officers pursuing the vehicle.

“Staff have then heard two distinct gunshots as the firearm was discharged.

“Fortunately, neither of our officers were injured, and the patrol vehicle did not sustain any damage.”

He said hours later, the vehicle was seen travelling north on the Waikato Expressway towards Auckland.

Police seized the vehicle at an address in Manurewa, but they had not found the alleged offender.

Lamb said people who lived at the Manurewa address were engaging with Police.

He said Eastern District and Counties Manukau Police were making enquiries.

“Presenting a firearm at a Police officer is a serious escalation that puts our staff and the wider community at risk. This behaviour is entirely unacceptable.

“We are taking this incident extremely seriously and will be pursuing all lines of enquiry to locate the offender and hold them accountable.”

Police asked anyone who witnessed the incident to contact Police on 105 or online using the reference number 261111/3764.

Information could also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

rnz

Latest News

New Zealand sides named for RLWC finals

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2026

News Staff

The players tasked with ending Australia’s Rugby League World Cup dominance have been named.

The Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns have announced their squads for this Sunday’s World Cup finals in Brisbane.

Both sides are chasing their first titles since 2008, and both are looking to end their opponents run of three crowns in a row.

“Our Kiwi Ferns have been so dominant in years gone by, and we want to bring dominance back to this jersey, so I think it will be a case of who wants it more,” said co-captain Georgia Hale of the impending clash.

The Kiwis get a major boost for the final as they welcome back Ronaldo Mulitalo after he served a one-match ban for a high tackle against Fiji Bati.

Mulitalo replaces Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who moves to the six-man bench, which again includes utility Te Maire Martin, middle forwards Naufahu Whyte, Erin Clark and Xavier Willison plus fullback Keano Kini.

Loose forward Joseph Tapine will make his 30th Test appearance in a familiar pack again, including second-rowers Isaiah Papali’i and Briton Nikora, and props James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota.

Winger Jamayne Isaako is on the cusp of claiming the New Zealand record for most Test points.

His five goals against Tonga lifted his career points tally to 225 – level with Shaun Johnson – while centre Casey McLean goes into the final with 16 tries in just eight Tests.

Fisher-Harris will again captain the team.

Fullback Ponga said the goal of the group was clear.

“We have high expectations around what we want to achieve, and obviously winning a world Cup is one of them.”

Meanwhile, Ricky Henry has selected a settled side to take on the Jillaroos, led by their lethal centre combination of Stacey Waaka and Mele Hufanga.

Veteran Apii Nicholls takes the number one jersey, Leianne Tufuga and Mackenzie Wiki on the wings.

Henry has stuck with his halves pairing of Chantay Kiria-Ratu and Raecene McGregor with Alexis Tauaneai, Georgia Hale and Otesa Pule up front.

Rounding out the starting pack is Shaniece Monschau, Kaiyah Atai, and Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa.

“We have been building well throughout the tournament; we understand the Jillaroos side, and will give it our all to make New Zealand proud this weekend,” said Henry.

RLWC Finals:

Kiwi Ferns vs Jillaroos- 6.10pm

Kiwis vs Kangaroos – 9.35pm

Sunday November 15

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Live blog updates on RNZ

Kiwi Ferns:

1. Apii Nicholls 2. Leianne Tufuga 3. Mele Hufanga 4. Stacey Waaka 5. Mackenzie Wiki 6. Chantay Kiria-Ratu 7. Raecene McGregor 8. Alexis Tauaneai 9. Georgia Hale 10. Otesa Pule 11. Shaniece Monschau 12. Kaiyah Atai 13. Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa.

Interchange: 14. Ashleigh Quinlan 15. Annessa Biddle 16. Shannon Mato 17. Ivana Lauitiiti.

Reserves: 18. Brooke Anderson 19. Zahara Temara 20. Brianna Clark 21. Abigail Roache 22. Tenika Willison.

Kiwis:

1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Jamayne Isaako, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Casey McLean, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Kodi Nikorima, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. James Fisher-Harris (c), 9. Jeremy Marshall-King, 10. Moses Leota, 11. Isaiah Papali’i, 12. Briton Nikora, 13. Joseph Tapine (v/c).

Interchange: 14. Te Maire Martin, 15. Naufahu Whyte, 16. Erin Clark, 17. Xavier Willison.

Reserves: 18. Keano Kini, 19. Phoenix Crossland, 20. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 21. Scott Sorensen, 22. Leo Thompson.

rnz

Latest News

Parliamentary Service working on extra chairs and offices for increased number of MPs

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2026

News Staff

The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.

On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.

Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.

In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.

“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.

“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”

Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Service Rafael Gonzalez-Montero appears before select committee. — Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero.

VNP / Phil Smith

Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.

That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.

“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.

Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.

Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.

The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.

Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.

Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.

“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”

Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.

rnz