9 June 2004

Maori Falling Through Housing Gap

New Zealand First is deeply concerned at the declining rate of home ownership, particularly among Maori.

“Recent research on housing and home ownership in New Zealand sounds alarm bells about the significant changes that are taking place in our society,” said Maori Affairs spokesperson Pita Paraone.

“There is now a yawning chasm between rates of home ownership, with European ownership at 71.9 percent and Maori down to 44 per cent.

“What that tells us is that the gap between the haves and the have-nots is widening, and in many indicators such as this one, Maori are overwhelmingly on the have-nots side of the equation.

“Even worse, Maori are more likely to live in overcrowded conditions due to skyrocketing rents, with the accompanying health problems, relentless poverty and despair. If the Government is looking for needs-based policy, it need look no further.”

Mr Paraone called on the Government to arrest this alarming trend by limiting immigration and foreign ownership of New Zealand property, both of which were fuelling the real estate frenzy.

“New Zealand First believes that it’s grossly unfair that foreign investors can buy property freely at what to them are bargain-basement prices, while ordinary kiwis are being priced right out of the market. “We believe that private home ownership provides an underlying social stability and that stability is currently under threat by the government’s ill-considered policies,” said Mr Paraone.

ENDS

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