Press Release - For immediate release Monday 19 September 2016

MAYORAL CANDIDATES FAIL HOUSING SCORECARD TEST

Auckland’s Housing Call to Action group has chosen to highlight the issues affecting housing that can be influenced by Auckland Council during Spotlight on Housing week from 19 - 24 September 2016.

The week comprises events and activities with the aim of raising the profile of housing and homelessness as important issues for New Zealand society.

Mayoral and Council candidates in Auckland have completed an online survey on housing by the Housing Call to Action group and been allocated a scorecard rating from A-F based on their answers. Any candidate who did not complete the survey was given a default F rating.

Mayoral candidates fared badly and the Housing Call to Action group is extremely disappointed at the lack of leadership shown for the most important issue facing New Zealand’s largest city by those who seek to be Mayor. Only Tricia Cheel scored an A with David Hay, Chloe Swarbrick and Binh Thanh Nguyen all scoring D, Alezix Heneti scoring E and all other Mayoral candidates, including Phil Goff, Vic Crone, John Palino, Penny Bright and Mark Thomas failing to complete the survey and scoring a default F.

Council candidates obviously felt the issue was more important and 30 of them completed the survey. Of these a total of 12 scored A including Cathy Casey, Wayne Walker, John Watson, Patrick Cummuskey, Olivia Montgomery, Damien Light, Anne Degia-Pala, Grant Gillon, Faanana Efeso Collins, Lisa Ducat, Mike Padfield and Anne-Elise Smithson.

A further 6 scored B including Penny Hulse, Greg Presland, Tate Robertson, Fay Freeman, Richard Leckinger and Rohan Lord.

A further 6 scored C including Ross Clow, Chris Darby, Bill Ralston, John Riddell, Holly Southernwood and Peter Chan.

Scoring D were Bill Cashmore, David Hay, John F Bensch, Rochelle Gormly and Ken Turner.

Alezix Heneti scored E. All other Councillor candidates failed to complete the survey and scored a default F.

The survey asked questions about the candidate’s support for a voluntary warrant of fitness, loans for healthy home improvements, providing housing for older people, advocacy for security of tenure for tenants, limiting rent increases, increasing social housing stock, assisting rough sleepers and street homeless and maintaining currently designated affordable housing in perpetuity. The full list of questions is given below.

Housing Call to Action spokesperson Cissy Rock said “the survey clearly shows which candidates take the housing issue seriously in Auckland and which do not. We urge voters to support those candidates who have scored well in this survey. Housing is a human right and Council has an important role to play here and we want to enable voters to make an informed choice.”

Events and activities for Spotlight on Housing week will be publicised on the Facebook page www.facebook.com/Housingcalltoaction and include a free BBQ hosted by Community Waitakere at 7 Trading Place, Henderson on Tuesday 20 Sept at 12.30pm and a street theatre performance in New Lynn, which will be announced on the Facebook Page.

ENDS

Spotlight on Housing Questions for Local Government Candidates 2016

1. Will you support the implementation and administration by Auckland Council of a voluntary warrant of fitness for houses throughout Auckland? Yes / No

2. Will you support the provision of interest free loans for healthy housing improvements throughout Auckland? Yes / No

3. Will you support the provision of housing for older people by Auckland Council in the areas in which they are already living? Yes / No

4. Will you support advocacy and other ways of improving security of tenure for tenants throughout Auckland? Yes / No

5. Will you support ways of limiting rent increases for tenants throughout Auckland? Yes / No

6. Will you support the provision of significant increases in social housing stock to be “pepper potted” throughout Auckland by Auckland Council, social housing providers and others? Yes / No

7. Will you support investment of Auckland Council resources – including funds and staff time – into programmes and services that help rough sleepers / street homeless? Yes / No

8. Will you support maintaining currently designated affordable housing in perpetuity? Yes / No

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