Australians warned off buying New Zealand state houses

SHAN yesterday sent a letter to Horizon Housing Company warning them off buying New Zealand state houses.

We told them they could expect to be the subject of on-going community protest action here in New Zealand if they co-operated in a nasty National Party policy which will leave low-income New Zealanders struggling.

Here is the letter:

State Housing Action Network

28 June 2015

Jason Cubit
Chief Executive
Horizon Housing
Australia

Kia ora Jason,
Proposed purchase of New Zealand state houses

State Housing Action Network is a network of groups formed earlier this year to fight New Zealand government plans to sell off state houses to private sector organisations.

The network includes groups which have been campaigning against so-called “redevelopment” of state housing in various centres of New Zealand which has reduced state house numbers across the country and left low-income tenants and families struggling.

We are very strongly opposed to these policies because they will reduce housing stability and security for the very people who need it the most. Social housing providers such as “Horizon Housing Company” will never be able to provide quality, affordable homes for every family who needs them. Only the government has the resources and the capacity to do so. If social housing providers co-operate with these policies they will be betraying existing state house tenants and those families now and in the future who will need state housing.

Already New Zealand’s most credible social-housing providers – the Salvation Army and the Methodist Mission – have announced they will not to buy into this policy. We are asking the Horizon Housing Company to do the same.

If you decide to proceed and co-operate with this policy it’s only fair that we point out you can expect to be the subject of on-going community protest action here in New Zealand.

Please give this letter your urgent consideration. We would be happy to meet with you to explain our concerns in more detail. In the meantime we look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

John Minto – Convenor

emds

© Scoop Media