23 October 2007

Time For NZ Citizens To Have State Housing Priority Over Immigrants

New Zealand First housing spokesman Pita Paraone has again expressed concern that immigrants are being allocated state housing ahead of New Zealand citizens following a dramatic increase in the number of recent immigrants who have received state housing in the last six years.

Answers to written parliamentary questions released to Mr Paraone reveal a 22.5% increase in the number of state houses granted to people who were not New Zealand citizens between the 2001/02 and 2006/07 financial years. In 2006/07 1,466 non-citizens were granted a state house, compared to 1,197 in 2001/02.

“The figures are startling. As many as 7,000 state houses have been allocated to recent immigrants over the last six years despite the thousands of desperate New Zealand citizens languishing on Housing New Zealand’s waiting lists,” said Mr Paraone.

“Revelations that a number of Kiwis are resorting to living in sheds or other temporary accommodation as they cannot afford skyrocketing rents makes it obvious that the Government needs to give housing priority to New Zealanders first.

“90% of the recent immigrants granted state housing arrived here under the points system. They were allowed in as they supposedly had jobs and could support themselves without relying on the New Zealand taxpayer. The fact that so many recent immigrants need housing assistance so shortly after arrival highlights the low quality of many of the immigrants allowed into New Zealand in recent years, or suggests that our immigration policy has not been hitting the mark

“The Government must urgently act to ensure that priority is given to Kiwis in need by allocating state housing to citizens only. It is only fair that genuinely needy Kiwis get state housing ahead of recent migrants,” said Mr Paraone.

ENDS

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