Denis O’Rourke MP
Spokesperson for Christchurch Earthquake Issues
21 November 2012

More Evidence Of Rent Gouging In Christchurch

New Zealand First says more evidence of rent gouging has emerged with a Christchurch family with nine young children landed with a rent increase of $100 a week to take their weekly rental from $460 to $560.

Christchurch Earthquake Issues spokesperson Denis O'Rourke says this vindicates repeated calls from New Zealand First for a short term rent freeze in the city.

“This is irrefutable evidence that rent gouging is continuing as a result of the housing shortage in Christchurch in the aftermath of the earthquakes.

“The family concerned will struggle to afford such an unconscionable hike in their rent.

“They say they’ve had ‘two years of hell with earthquake after earthquake and now the profiteers seem to be allowed to run rampant’.

“It is high time that Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee abandoned the pretence that the market will control home rents in Christchurch, and take overdue action to impose a short term rent freeze,” says Mr O’Rourke.

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ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On The New Government’s Policies Of Yesteryear

Winston Peters is routinely described as the kingmaker who decides whether the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded, but equally important role as the scapegoat who can be blamed for killing taxes that his senior partners never much wanted in the first place. Neither Ardern nor Robertson for example, really wanted a capital gains tax, for fear of Labour copping the “tax and spend“ label they ended up being saddled with anyway. Usefully though, they could tell the party faithful it was wicked old Winston who killed the CGT. More