Kiwis react to avocado toast, Australian housing debate

By Aimee Shaw

NZ Herald·

19 Oct, 2016 08:55 PM4 mins to read

Kiwis have responded to the Australian-avocado housing debate. Photo / 123RF

The great Australian housing debate has caused a stir among Kiwis. Here's how people are reacting to "avo-gate".

Australian demographer Bernard Salt penned a column that upset some millennials. Salt claimed young Aussies should spend less on going out for brunch and instead save the money for a home deposit.

"I can afford to eat this for lunch because I am middle-aged and have raised my family. But how can young people afford to eat like this? Shouldn't they be economising by eating at home? How often are they eating out? Twenty-two dollars several times a week could go towards a deposit on a house," he wrote.

New Zealanders responded to nzherald.co.nz's Facebook post on the topic with mixed reactions.

Young Australians have been told to stop ordering smashed avocado on toast at cafes and knuckle down to save for a house.
Posted by nzherald.co.nz on Tuesday, October 18, 2016

James Peni wrote: "$22 a week times 300 years - you will have a house for your ashes".

Nicole Parker, who said she bought a house at age 20, said it's not just about avocado on toast. She said people need to make smarter choices.

"You can't have a nice car, student loan, regular alcohol consumption, travel regularly, branded clothing, new iPhone, not worry about saving power, $12 bakery quiches AND brunch.

"It's all about choices. How much you want a home (& how soon) will affect your choices. Take your pick, do what works for you, don't blame someone else for your poor saving ability & notice that $22 does add up. 11 years is a long time but some people will go 11 years & still not have a house - then they might actually regret not cutting the brunch once a week."

Another Facebook user, Kaylee Belford, said: "Basically if you don't eat or go anywhere for 10 or so years then you might be able to get a house loan. But then the prices of houses have risen so much the amount you've saved still isn't enough. If you don't have something to sell or an inheritance just forget it."

Tina Lunn said: "The quickest way to save money is to make your own lunches, stay home in the evenings & cook, restrict your daily cafe coffees to a weekend with family & friends and limit take outs as a treat. Stop buying clothes you really do not need. You will be surprised how much you can save in a year! I hear you yes but my friends have just bought the latest this & that, so what, do they have a deposit for a house after a few years of self discipline?"

Karyn Murray said: "Anybody thought about getting a second job to pay for your first home? That's how we did it, despite 18% mortgage interest. We were too bloody exhausted to go out - but it didn't last forever."

Kiwis also responded to Salt's hot take on the issue on Twitter.

See the problem with these millenials is they want to have a home and eat avocado too.
— Julie Fairey (@juliefairey) October 19, 2016

The avocado industry has since defended young people's rights to chow down on a plate of smashed avocado.

"I'm glad they're eating avocados, at least they have the good sense of putting something nutritious down their throats," Avocados Australia chair Jim Kochi told AAP. "Why didn't he pick on coffee - where's the nutrition in a cup of coffee or slug of alcohol?."