MEDIA RELEASE

July 18 2008

Waitakere hosts symposium on affordable housing

Waitakere is hosting a major affordable housing symposium on Tuesday, July 22 featuring government ministers and a range of noted academics and social housing professionals from New Zealand and Australia as speakers.

The Minister for Housing, the Hon Maryan Street, and the Minister for Building and Housing, the Hon Shane Jones, will be joined by the National Party’s spokesman Phil Heatley and the Green Party’s Sue Bradford at the Rental Affordability Symposium at the Kelston Community Centre.

Large numbers are expected to attend given it is election year.

The symposium is being organised by the Australasian Housing Institute in conjunction with Waitakere City Council and Community Housing Aotearoa to examine what is happening in relation to rental affordability and secure tenure and the issues for renters.

The politicians and presenters will provide their insights and ideas about what to do to address this growing concern.

“Decent, affordable and secure housing is at the heart of a civilised, inclusive society and a globally competitive economy,” says Therese Quinlivian, Director of Community Housing Aotearoa and one of the conference organisers.

“It is also potentially the biggest policy challenge emerging for the housing industry in New Zealand. This symposium will explore the challenges and identify the potential solutions.”

There is a top line-up of international and local speakers. Adam Farrar the Executive Director of the New South Wales Federation of Housing Associations will give a presentation on the Australian National Affordable Housing Forum, a project bringing together participants from the housing, development and finance sectors, as well as from unions, community groups, local councils and academic experts to stimulate informal discussion about principal goals and priorities for a National Affordable Housing Agreement.

Other speakers include Kaye Saville Smith, Andrew King and David Zussman who will present findings on the current state of the rental market, rental affordability and its impacts on families and children. Scott Figenshow and Tricia Austin will also provide information on the latest international models of Secure Tenancy that could be applicable here.

ENDS

Editor’s Note: The symposium runs from 8.45am to 5pm and media representatives are welcome to attend. A full programme is available on www.housinginstitute.org.

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