Tracey Martin MP
Spokesperson for Education
19 JULY 2016

Teachers Latest Victims of National’s Housing Mess

When you have a catastrophe such as Auckland’s housing crisis, one thing after another collapses and the city’s chronic primary school teacher shortage is another to join the list, says New Zealand First.

“The unfortunate thing is, this shortage is just one area – we’re going to get more,” says New Zealand First’s Education Spokesperson Tracey Martin.

“An Auckland Primary Principals Association survey has reported ‘nightmare’ shortages of New Zealand trained teachers because they cannot afford to live in Auckland.

“Auckland has climbed from being the world’s ninth most expensive city for housing to fifth and driven by high immigration, it’s still going up.

“It is deeply disappointing for hundreds of Kiwis trained and qualified to be teachers who cannot get teaching jobs and rule out Auckland because they can’t afford to live and work there.

“Now, to add insult to injury the Ministry of Education says it is working to smooth the way for overseas teachers to work in Auckland.

“This appalling situation goes right back to the government who created Auckland’s mess which is worsening by the day and now ruining Kiwi teacher careers,” Mrs Martin says.

ENDS

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