Foreign investor pressure
HOUSING
IT’S gratifying to see our neighbour New Zealand taking steps to protect its citizens from foreign ownership of existing housing by not allowing overseas investors further access. We’ll probably see more pressure on the prices of existing houses in Australia by investors turned away from NZ. Instead of the Australian Government and our state Liberal Government taking similar action, we see our state Treasurer announcing that housing prices are “set to soar within the next three years”. What lack of vision and competency in addressing future generations’ chance to own their own home. It shows a lack of empathy and a green light to the high end of town. There is a significant rise in household debt and an interest rate rise on the horizon. The Treasurer should be addressing the issue now.
Of course our government appears only interested in stamp duty and other revenues. In 2016 the NSW Government introduced a 4 per cent surcharge on overseas investors but the problem remains. We need firm, stable leadership to deny foreign ownership of existing properties. If houses are built and not occupied within six months by foreign investors, they should be sold. It’s a pity it’s up to NZ to continue to lead Australia in many facets of government, social justice, sport and even a low-cost, high-speed NBN service. selves of food so they can pay extortionate rents. Governments have shown they would rather support profiteering by investors and finance corporations than basic human rights to affordable shelter. This is not economics but political ideology.
Billions can be spent on roads and bridges, and trillions on the arms trade, yet if all those in housing stress due to rent, inadequate shelter or homelessness were to set up camp on the Domain, the police would soon be called in to shift them. Why should squatting on public land be illegal but the abuse of right to shelter is not? No political party has shown consideration for the suffering. The election won’t bring respite because parties have sold out. How bad does it have to get before it is recognised as an emergency?
Jobs and safety
THE simple and honest way to reduce crime (Talking Point, October 26) is to allow people to access work with fair pay and have a home. When Finland wanted to solve homelessness, they built homes, and that worked. We can do that. We can also solve unemployment by creating work.
Our system creates crime, by driving an economy that does not provide work with fair pay for all citizens. This arrangement creates homelessness, poverty, unemployment, under-employment and expectations of unpaid overtime. This is the simple solution to homelessness because workers need homes. A kid in poverty sleeping rough on the street, denied income by the Centrelink robot, can starve A new way to have your say themercury.com.au readers have a new way to have their say. It’s free to use, just register and have your say. For more details and to register, visit the website. or break into your kitchen. We can reduce crime by voting for politicians who create real full-employment.
10 Murray makeover
IT is sad to see Tasmanian politicians and the Hobart suit gentry destroy 10 Murray St in so-called development at the cost of the public purse. Parliament Square will be a lemon except for public service staff working close by and will close other small food outlets. For the thousands of families, single mums escaping violence, workers on low incomes and regional politicians who use their overnight allowance to buy a second home, this building with a little imagination could have had a makeover, with the top two floors suites for politicians, progressing down to emergency housing run by a reputable charity for a fee from stayers. The exterior could have been a garden of edible shrubs and herbs in plantboxes and bright flowers, a first in Tasmania high-rise. What a tourist attraction, with a slogan we care for our people. Sadly our suits would rather these families outside of Hobart. Jim Bacon as premier at least advanced affordable living in Barrack and Liverpool streets as a monument to his love of battlers.
Next month most caravan parks and many motels have to evict hundreds on Centrelink aid or scraping through with seasonal or casual work. Why? Christmas pre-bookings have placed great stress on tenants and proprietors as people face hounding as to where they can caravan or camp in tents for the next few months.
No cents
THE Cash story makes no cents. Prevaricating politicians are a dime a dozen.
Over-charged
HYDRO Tasmania’s CEO’s salary is a clear demonstration of a state living well beyond its means. Three-phase expense for a nine-volt battery.
No golden handshake
THOSE politicians that served illegally with dual citizenship should not be entitled to golden handshake pensions.
Nobody asked me
AUSTRALIA at war in the Philippines. When did we vote on that?
Wilkie in hot seat
NOW we have a minority federal government, the heat is on Andrew Wilkie. Will he vote to bring down the Turnbull Government as most Denison electors prefer?