The Premium Debate: Subscribers weigh in on Rotorua’s new housing accord

Aerial photo of Rotorua. Photo / Felix Desmarais / LDR

The Government is expected to sign a housing accord with Rotorua Lakes Council, Te Arawa and Ngāti Whakaue that seeks to “progressively reduce the use of motels for emergency housing in Rotorua to near zero”. The council, iwi and mana whenua assessed the draft accord in November. A joint statement from Woods and Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni says the accord “renews the commitment” by the Government, council, Te Arawa and Ngāti Whakaue for “better housing and social outcomes in Rotorua”.

Read the full story: Fighting for Rotorua: New agreement seeks to reduce motel use to ‘near zero’

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Heard it all before. Another Clayton’s agreement

- Peter M

Can voters remember when Labour was attacking Nation for spending $7 million a year on emergency housing and Labour is now spending $1m a day. The social housing waitlist went from approximately 5000 to near 30,000. This is apparently what success looks like.

- Ross J

The next problem will be all the moteliers going out of business because they relied on one customer who is now turning the tap off and other potential customers (tourists) no longer want to come because the reputation of Rotorua is shot.

- Ca C

So after five years in power, they’re blaming National? Honestly, this is so dishonest. And, it’s absolutely and utterly to be expected from this Government.

- Denzil P

Didn’t they claim they were going to build 100,000 homes? This initiative has about the same potential as their last overhyped and under-delivered housing election bribe.

- John H

Truly excellent intentions. Let us hope that these intentions are followed through on for the next 20-plus years!

- Alexander M

And with the signing of an accord the entire problem simply goes away … This sounds suspiciously like Labour’s road to zero initiative and that’s going really well, isn’t it?

Reduce the speed limit across large swathes of roading and don’t worry about the economic consequences.

- Jonathan F

Why are we not actively promoting stable marriages with two partners caring for their children under one roof? That reduces the number of housing units by up to half, right there. When we reward with easy money from other people the easy solution to difficult times in a relationship, to quit and run away, we get more of that behaviour. We should always provide safe havens for people subject to abuse and for the involuntarily widowed; but we should stop paying people to take the easy way out.

- Penny D

And now it’s December 2022 - another housing accord is announced. Well done ... over five years on and the situation is significantly worse under the Labour Government...

- Phiphi P

- Republished comments may be edited at the editor’s discretion.

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