State Housing meeting for Invercargill this coming Sunday

SHAN (State Housing Action Network) has organised a public meeting for this Sunday in Invercargill to give the local community the opportunity to discuss the government’s plans to sell thousands of state houses.

Minister of Social Housing Paula Bennett says the government will be starting with Invercargill and Tauranga so that is where SHAN is starting our campaign to inform communities about the policy and begin campaigning to stop to selloff.

“We think Invercargill has been chosen because the government thinks the city will not put up a fight to stop the selloff. We think the government is wrong and we think the citizens of Invercargill will unite against this policy.”

“If the government sells state houses in Invercargill they will walk away from housing in the city and never come back.”

“We need many more state houses, not less. Nowhere in the world has the private sector ever provided quality, affordable housing for families on low incomes. It is only ever done by the state which has the resources and the capacity to house every family who needs a home.”

“The most likely buyer for Invercargill state houses is Australian Company Horizon Housing. Just how local people are going to get any accountability from Horizon is anyone’s guess.”

More details of the meeting:

Chair: Rebecca Amundsen – Local City Councillor

Speakers:

George Park – local state house tenant

National: Todd Barclay – MP for Clutha-Southland

Labour: Lesley Soper – former Labour MP

Greens: Dave Kennedy – local Green Candidate

State Housing Action Network: John Minto – National Convenor

John Minto – Convenor

ENDS

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