The Salvation Army Media Release

State House Anniversary Reminder of Affordable Housing Need

Wellington, 18 September 2007 - The 70th anniversary of the opening of New Zealand's first state house is a timely reminder of the need for government to increase its commitment to affordable housing.

The first state house, at 12 Fife Lane, Miramar, Wellington, was opened on 18 September 1937 and its 70th anniversary was marked by a visit from the Prime Minister, Chris Carter and Annette King.

Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit Manager, Major Ian Kilgour, says that the state house programme was a positive initiative for great numbers of New Zealand families, particularly those poorer families who would have had no way into housing without this assistance.

'Housing policy is about how we as a society build neighbourhoods and communities, and about how we support families and nurture children.

'The social housing programme of those years contributed to family well-being and provided a springboard for wider participation in local community and social life.'

The Salvation Army's recent report - Rebuilding the Kiwi Dream: A Proposal for Affordable Housing in New Zealand - showed that nearly half of the state owned units in 2006 were built in the 13 years between 1939 and 1952.

'Housing policy has been a sadly neglected area of social policy over the past two decades. New Zealanders are battling with a growing lack of affordable housing - rates of home ownership have fallen over the last 15 years to the lowest levels in 50 years,' says Major Kilgour.

'In order to address the housing affordability problem, government needs to take a more active role in housing and specifically make a more active supply side policy response.

'Rebuilding the Kiwi Dream recommended that government invest between $500m and $1b annually over the next decade to help tackle the affordable housing problem.'

Major Kilgour says that although it is not necessarily desirable to exactly recreate the state house programme of those times it is important to learn from history and renew our commitment as New Zealanders to the values which underpinned those institutions.

'Values such as "caring for the vulnerable" and "making sure that everyone has a stake in the future" underpin the Kiwi dream and go to the heart of why access to decent, affordable housing for every New Zealander should remain an essential part of our identity as a nation.'

ENDS

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