Listen now (15 mins) | Residents groups in Auckland & Wellington cock-a-hoop over National's MDRS backflip, calling on councils to stop plan rewrites & demanding Labour drop it altogether; Groups also against greenfields
Yes do they want to be like Dubai where all the service workers come from poor countries and live in warehouse spaces with curtains between their beds, their passports held by their employer and their visas cancelled if they complain.
Is the 1st time i heard you swearing in over 3 years (?) of listening to your podcasts. Good'n'you! This is obiouslly more than a job for you, as you feel pasionatelly about the subject and fellow humans. I respect that.
Hey Bernard, just who and where are the residential customers paying 19 cents/kWh for electricity in this country? They're not in the majority and I want to know how to join the club. In the meantime, I'm just glad that my retailer bumped up the feed-in tariff to 12 cents...that will be nice come November when we're exporting again.
My politics are centre right, but I’m well and truly off the national train. Luxon has no vision, no appreciation of the problem space, and he is tacking in whatever direction leads to an election win, with no regard for the future.
Luxon has stoked a generational battle, so I hope his supporters keep this moment in mind when the median voter is dismantling superannuation in the not too distant future.
It’s infuriating that both National and Act have both abandoned libertarian economics in favour of good old fashioned conservatism in the housing realm.
“Character” is such a frustratingly narrow view. As if the kind of buildings that characterised a particular time of a young country’s existence should persist forever. Character for who? Who gets to enjoy this “character”? Is the protection from change some kind of public service?
The costs of preserving this nebulous “character” do not fall on them, it is others who pay.
It wouldn’t surprise me if these same character advocates declare motorways part of Auckland’s “character” that must never change.
The funny part is that many of these old inner-city suburbs were once sold by early 20th century developers on their convenient proximity to the old (but then new) tram network. Their origins disprove their own arguments against densification.
What I can't understand is the fear of having lively, dense, delightful neighbourhoods where people gather to eat, drink, cycle, walk and have fun and don't have to get in a car to do so. Surely these NIMBYs have travelled overseas and seen apartment living in Vienna, Amsterdam and Venice?. Can they not can see the vibrant places and the community that denser housing brings. Think of Bodrum and Instanbul? Yes, the design needs to be good but we can do that. We so need llivable cities with amenities within walking distance. Apartments above shops and cafes. We don't need huge lawns and gated communities where nobody knows their neighbour. And above all the most basic of all human rights... a warm, dry house for everyone. Without that, there is little hope!
There will be a number of recent ( three decades ) greenfield developments on hillsides which may become significantly more expensive to insure over time.
"I think the housing situation is so bad over New Zealand that ALL Businesses asking for overseas worker visas should first ensure or provide accommodation that is up to rental standard at a rate that is no more than 40% of the income of the worker.
Then firstly offer that same job & accommodation to New Zealand residents for via all NZ job sites for three weeks to see if the business cannot find a suitable local worker."
I wish there was someway to successfully communicate the abject hopeless the future holds for the young. Our children are going to live in a world bereft of the opportunities we have been given and have an unimaginable number joys unavailable to them that we take for granted. When do we stop pretending this isn't the only outcome.
I assume Rio Tinto are getting a premium for low carbon aluminum they are exporting from Tiwai and/or are avoiding paying carbon taxes where their other smelters are. How about adding a green fee onto the low carbon power they are getting below wholesale?
Don’t you think it is better talking to the NIMBYs instead of ridiculing them. We New Zealanders do care about people and as an 83 year old I can say most of us despair for the young. But whether MDRs are the answer, well I don’t think they are. New Zealand is more than Auckland Wellington and Christchurch. Neo liberalism has meant Government has not built the infrastructure that has been needed since probably the 1980s. It can’t be done all in 5 minutes but it has to be done. And in my view the creation of MDRs will create ghettos of the future. Yes new warm homes must be built throughout the country and a fast train service will enable that to be done more effectively and maintain the New Zealand lifestyle than the MDRs. I have no desire to see New Zealand emulate the European lifestyle. It is lovely to visit Europe but when I get home I thank god I live here.
Yes Bernard! It's Bright and Sunny here in Brisbane, with a heavy heart I made the move here in March a couple of months ago. When I heard Luxons backflip with a twist I was sad but not surprised. I'm happy to be a paid subscriber and support your Mahi! I'll vote in the upcoming election, it seems the best things I can do.
Absolutely agree and well summarised Bernard! Unfortunately the 'Nimbys' are the voters so they'll support the party that supports them! Not that there's much difference between the parties....a tragedy for NZ! So the question for all political parties is....'what are your intentions for population growth, short term, long-term, and how are you going to manage it for the benefit of all in NZ'
My neighbours, uphill from me, object to me building a new higher house in a character area because, amongst other things, it will ruin their view. So, to maintain their view they are 'stealing' my airspace?
OK, if I was seriously impacting their sunlight there would be an argument for stopping me build what I planned.
But if they want my airspace just for their view then surely I should be compensated by them - maybe an annual airspace lease charge.
NIMBYs push to dump MDRS totally and stop greenfields' houses too
This is a class war whatever you call it.
Yes do they want to be like Dubai where all the service workers come from poor countries and live in warehouse spaces with curtains between their beds, their passports held by their employer and their visas cancelled if they complain.
Is the 1st time i heard you swearing in over 3 years (?) of listening to your podcasts. Good'n'you! This is obiouslly more than a job for you, as you feel pasionatelly about the subject and fellow humans. I respect that.
Hey Bernard, just who and where are the residential customers paying 19 cents/kWh for electricity in this country? They're not in the majority and I want to know how to join the club. In the meantime, I'm just glad that my retailer bumped up the feed-in tariff to 12 cents...that will be nice come November when we're exporting again.
My politics are centre right, but I’m well and truly off the national train. Luxon has no vision, no appreciation of the problem space, and he is tacking in whatever direction leads to an election win, with no regard for the future.
Luxon has stoked a generational battle, so I hope his supporters keep this moment in mind when the median voter is dismantling superannuation in the not too distant future.
It’s infuriating that both National and Act have both abandoned libertarian economics in favour of good old fashioned conservatism in the housing realm.
Time to end boomer welfare.
“Character” is such a frustratingly narrow view. As if the kind of buildings that characterised a particular time of a young country’s existence should persist forever. Character for who? Who gets to enjoy this “character”? Is the protection from change some kind of public service?
The costs of preserving this nebulous “character” do not fall on them, it is others who pay.
It wouldn’t surprise me if these same character advocates declare motorways part of Auckland’s “character” that must never change.
The funny part is that many of these old inner-city suburbs were once sold by early 20th century developers on their convenient proximity to the old (but then new) tram network. Their origins disprove their own arguments against densification.
What I can't understand is the fear of having lively, dense, delightful neighbourhoods where people gather to eat, drink, cycle, walk and have fun and don't have to get in a car to do so. Surely these NIMBYs have travelled overseas and seen apartment living in Vienna, Amsterdam and Venice?. Can they not can see the vibrant places and the community that denser housing brings. Think of Bodrum and Instanbul? Yes, the design needs to be good but we can do that. We so need llivable cities with amenities within walking distance. Apartments above shops and cafes. We don't need huge lawns and gated communities where nobody knows their neighbour. And above all the most basic of all human rights... a warm, dry house for everyone. Without that, there is little hope!
The inevitable number crunching of the insurance actuaries starts taking effect.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/05/30/insurers-likely-to-hike-premiums-for-flood-slip-affected-areas/
There will be a number of recent ( three decades ) greenfield developments on hillsides which may become significantly more expensive to insure over time.
From 24 JAN 2023
https://thekaka.substack.com/p/tuesdays-pick-of-the-links-d22/comment/12155789
"I think the housing situation is so bad over New Zealand that ALL Businesses asking for overseas worker visas should first ensure or provide accommodation that is up to rental standard at a rate that is no more than 40% of the income of the worker.
https://www.canstar.co.nz/savings-accounts/how-much-of-my-income-should-go-towards-rent/
Then firstly offer that same job & accommodation to New Zealand residents for via all NZ job sites for three weeks to see if the business cannot find a suitable local worker."
I wish there was someway to successfully communicate the abject hopeless the future holds for the young. Our children are going to live in a world bereft of the opportunities we have been given and have an unimaginable number joys unavailable to them that we take for granted. When do we stop pretending this isn't the only outcome.
Bernard, can we please have Simon Wilson on the Hoon.
I assume Rio Tinto are getting a premium for low carbon aluminum they are exporting from Tiwai and/or are avoiding paying carbon taxes where their other smelters are. How about adding a green fee onto the low carbon power they are getting below wholesale?
Don’t you think it is better talking to the NIMBYs instead of ridiculing them. We New Zealanders do care about people and as an 83 year old I can say most of us despair for the young. But whether MDRs are the answer, well I don’t think they are. New Zealand is more than Auckland Wellington and Christchurch. Neo liberalism has meant Government has not built the infrastructure that has been needed since probably the 1980s. It can’t be done all in 5 minutes but it has to be done. And in my view the creation of MDRs will create ghettos of the future. Yes new warm homes must be built throughout the country and a fast train service will enable that to be done more effectively and maintain the New Zealand lifestyle than the MDRs. I have no desire to see New Zealand emulate the European lifestyle. It is lovely to visit Europe but when I get home I thank god I live here.
Yes Bernard! It's Bright and Sunny here in Brisbane, with a heavy heart I made the move here in March a couple of months ago. When I heard Luxons backflip with a twist I was sad but not surprised. I'm happy to be a paid subscriber and support your Mahi! I'll vote in the upcoming election, it seems the best things I can do.
Absolutely agree and well summarised Bernard! Unfortunately the 'Nimbys' are the voters so they'll support the party that supports them! Not that there's much difference between the parties....a tragedy for NZ! So the question for all political parties is....'what are your intentions for population growth, short term, long-term, and how are you going to manage it for the benefit of all in NZ'
Let's look at this from the other end.
My neighbours, uphill from me, object to me building a new higher house in a character area because, amongst other things, it will ruin their view. So, to maintain their view they are 'stealing' my airspace?
OK, if I was seriously impacting their sunlight there would be an argument for stopping me build what I planned.
But if they want my airspace just for their view then surely I should be compensated by them - maybe an annual airspace lease charge.