Editorial: Housing as a human right, too right

Te Amokapua Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt.

Editorial

EDITORIAL

Too often, the cry of “human rights” overlooks key elements of the human condition and, unfortunately, political reality.

Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission yesterday issued a call to all Members of Parliament to treat housing as a human right and to use all available resources to alleviate the housing crisis.

Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt says there is a growing recognition that a decent home is a human right, but too many are still left out in the cold.

“Young people, refugee and migrant families, Māori, Pasifika, single parents, elderly and disabled people continue to struggle,” says Hunt.

Yes, these are hard truths and we all would prefer it wasn’t so. Further, inflation and interest rate increases are adding more stress for many.

Illustration / Rod Emmerson

Hunt’s comments followed the commission’s final report of its two-year housing inquiry with Manaaki Rangatahi, a youth homelessness collective.

Data collated for the commission’s inquiry found housing affordability had significantly dropped over the last three decades, a dramatic shortfall in accessible housing, and many homes - particularly rentals - at risk of making people sick due to mould and dampness.

The inquiry found significant breaches of human rights in emergency housing and a need for the Government, and others responsible for housing such as the private sector, to be held more accountable.

The commission’s final report, “Implementing the right to a decent home in Aotearoa: Fairness and dignity for all”, held six recommendations to help create the frameworks and accountability needed to make possible the right to a decent home in New Zealand.

Six recommendations as a framework to lock in access to decent homes are laudable, but will not build the houses, nor compel people to take up residence in them. Ultimately then, the commission wants safeguards to prevent housing from becoming a political casualty.

“Successive governments over the last 50 years have signed up to this human right in international law, Hunt says. “They are binding commitments to treat housing as a human right.”

The nearest New Zealand has come to meeting such an aspiration in recent years was the cross-party agreement for medium-density housing in October 2021.

Remember, MPs from our two major parties stood side by side at the Beehive Theatrette to announce an overhaul of planning rules designed to dramatically accelerate growth in medium-density housing. Housing Minister Megan Woods and Environment Minister David Parker and then-National leader Judith Collins and Housing spokeswoman Nicola Willis unveiled the plan to slash bureaucracy and force councils into greater urban density.

Two full years out from a general election, the matter appeared settled. Then the successor to the National Party leadership, Christopher Luxon, told a meeting of supporters at the Birkenhead Bowling Club six weeks ago the deal was off. Luxon wouldn’t have needed a focus group to tell him the agreement was despised in his key support neighbourhoods, such as heritage suburbs.

Housing is a right that property owners will always want to protect. It’s difficult to see it ever being partitioned from political pragmatism. But impossible? Let’s hope not.