Mass Immigration Not Helping Housing Crisis

New Zealand First has blamed the Government’s ad hoc immigration policy for home rentals soaring out of control in Auckland

An Auckland housing trust is calling on the Government to help with housing because New Zealanders in the low income bracket are being forced out of their houses as landlords hold “rental auctions” with the property going to the highest bidder.

Rt Hon Winston Peters said today that bringing tens of thousands of immigrants to Auckland each year is placing the housing situation under intolerable pressure.

“What is the Government doing with housing except argue that mass immigration is supposed to be beneficial to New Zealand and New Zealanders? The housing crisis in Auckland is just further evidence that it is not.

“Besides escalating house prices in Auckland, which thereafter escalates the inflation and interest rates index for the rest of the country, all this Government is doing is placing New Zealanders on an expensive merry-go-round from which they have no escape.

“How can they sit by in Wellington and argue, without evidence, that it is beneficial when Auckland tenants are being driven out of their homes by pressure from foreigners, many of whom would not have attained immigrant status in any other first world country.

“It is long since time that the Government realised that they have created a very serious problem that is forcing more and more New Zealanders below the poverty line and into grossly sub standard accommodation.

“Former Labour leaders who led a party that once had a social conscience will be turning in their graves at the truly bizarre nature of the present Government’s mindless policies,” said Mr Peters.

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