Young Aucklanders told to face ‘unfair reality’ for housing

Young Aucklanders looking to one day own a property in the city have been told they have to face the “unfair reality” of the overheated property market.

Over 300 people attended the ‘Locked Out: Fixing Our Housing Crisis’ meeting panel on the Auckland’s North Shore last night.

The panel consisted of economist Shamubeel Eaqub, Labour’s housing spokesperson Phil Twyford, Yvette Taylor from Living Wage Aotearoa, and Auckland Council’s Youth Advisory Panel deputy chair Alex Johnston, as well as regular input from Auckland mayoral candidate and Labour MP Phil Goff.

Mr Eaqub, author and former principal economist at the NZ Institute of Economic Research said Aucklanders can’t afford houses in the city anymore, and ‘Generation Rent’ [the title of Mr Eaqub's book] is the unfair reality for upcoming generations.

“House prices have increased $133,000 on average in Auckland over the last 12 months, but the average income per 12 months per household is only $100,000. It’s becoming increasingly clear ‘Generation Rent’ is the unfair reality this upcoming generation faces,” said Mr Eaqub.

While the event was organised by the Labour Party, Mr Eaqub said all political parties are to blame for the situation.

“All political parties have a part to blame, and they need to figure out how to be more responsive to our economic growth,” said Mr Eaqub.

Mr Twyford was annoyed at the current situation in regards to housing.

“This isn’t the New Zealand we want, but it’s the New Zealand we have, and we have to face that. It’s not acceptable home ownership rates are the lowest in 65 years,” said Mr Twyford.

Mr Twyford said he believed the Labour Party had the solution, but didn’t elaborate on potential ways to solve the problem.

“We have to make room for the 1,000,000 more people Auckland expects within the next 40 years. We have to look at how other cities have coped, and turn away from becoming a sprawling city, and focus on urban density and development,” said Mr Twyford.

Mr Goff, who attended with former deputy speaker of the house and Kaipatiki Local Board candidate Anne Hartley, told the forum the solution was to go up, not out.

“We have to consider a proper plan that involves high density living. Land cost is 60 per cent of the price of a house in Auckland, and that shouldn’t be the case,” said Mr Goff.