19 Comments

The Scorpion and The Frog, south island

Expand full comment

Confusing "bottom of the country" with "bottom feeders"?

Expand full comment

No, the Aesop Fables where the Frog carries a scorpion across a river, only to receive a sting

Expand full comment

We have to remember that if Kamala wins (clearly the best outcome) pressure must be kept on her administration to stop the current abhorrent actions in the middle east that are supporting a plausible genocide.

The housing news is amazing, I wish we could see more projects like this!

Expand full comment

I can't help but think that Biden has been sitting on his hands re the Middle East trying to keep the subject out of the US elections. Doesn't want to lose votes for Harris.

But come later this week I am hoping that Netanyahu suddenly gets a message he doesn't want to hear.

Expand full comment

That would be an extremely cynical move by the Biden admin but definitely plausible, watching the spokepeople is always iinfuriating.

Expand full comment

Given how badly Netanyahu has dissed Biden the cynicism would be entirely justified

Expand full comment

Pennywise the titular protagonist ACT of a Nationally produced horror story 🤡

Expand full comment

That earthquake fund for Christchurch was set up to fix the eqc balls up that the Key government left us. They tried to do things on the cheap and there was significant unreported corruption in the process leading to a whole host of shoddy repair jobs done.

Many many homeowners even today will not even know they had dodgy repairs until they go to sell. They real cost to society because of the government's actions will ultimately be in the billions. But hey we rewarded PM Key with a Knighthood and Brownlee with a speakership.

Expand full comment

💯

Expand full comment

cracking summary Bernard. This short termism is a feature of New Zealand culture. How long do we keep pulling out the babies floating down the river before walk up stream and stop them chucking babies in the water? policies that are being set here seem to be hell bent of "cutting red tape" as this is a laudable outcome, but removing independent checks and balances from approvals isn't making things better or more cost efficient of the country in totality, just shifting the costs of compliance to the users who need will need to litigate after the fact. The lack litigious culture is something that has made New Zealand a more relaxed place to live and work. Removing the hurdles at the front end mean that projects with dubious controls progress and the remedy will be through court action. sad

Expand full comment

Strong start to the week Bernard!

Expand full comment

Absolutely love the story about the Our Whare Our Fale housing project. I live in Porirua and I’m super excited to hear about all the awesome mahi being delivered by Pacific and iwi leaders

Expand full comment

Thanks Alice. I hope to interview Helmut and Tino.

Expand full comment

housing and economy

New Zealand Mortgages statements (04 November 2024):

"The number of property investor loans we have done over the past two months is the same as we did for the whole of last year." and

"Buying an existing house...is looking extremely attractive to investors."

also Kris Pedersen Mortgages says:

"...the investors we work with are looking at yield, which they get from blocks of flats and similar types of properties in the provinces..."

Expand full comment

Thanks Robert. Got a link for those comments?

Expand full comment

afternoon Bernard

the comments are in an article titled "Competition between investors and first home buyers about to heat up" which was included as a link in an e-mail I received from Landlords Daily News for 4 November2024.

my computer skills are almost non-existent (I'm from the slide rule era) and I don't know how to provide a link.

If you sent an e-mail address to me at buildingdesigner@actrix.co.nz I might be able to forward that e-mail to you but whether or not it will forward I don't know.

God bless

Expand full comment

'Bish please' thought

'Austerity with Willis characteristics'

We do indeed live in interesting times

Expand full comment

Being pedantic can be annoying but I feel the need to point out that Cannons Creek is a beautiful suburb in Porirua, not Wellington. Sadly Porirua only tends to get press when something bad happens. Lived there for 28 years and raised my kids. My other home 💓

Expand full comment