If Auckland’s kids could vote

‘‘When we're older it's going to be really hard to get a house especially for someone who's just moved out of home.’’

Affordable housing, a compact city, and efficient public transport.

You might think those are demands from some particularly engaged voters, or possibly the manifesto of a wanna-be politician trying to drum up votes in this year’s Auckland council elections.

But they’re the views of a group of Auckland kids.

The decisions of Auckland politicians today will create the Auckland of the future that those children will inherit. They are keenly aware of that. Yet nationwide, little more than 40 per cent of eligible voters are likely to bother to cast their vote, if the turnout of past elections is anything to go by. So we asked some school kids from West Auckland’s Te Atatu Intermediate what they hoped today’s adults would consider when thinking about who they’re voting for in Auckland’s local body elections. Most of the kids didn’t discuss politics around the dinner table with their parents.

One exception was 12-year-old Alex Larking’s parents.

‘‘My parents are very strong about voting,’’ he said.

His parents hold a low opinion of those who don’t vote, he said.

Despite the lack of political debate at home, most of the kids were well-schooled and had plenty to say on Auckland issues. The year eight pupils were most worried about Auckland’s elected politicians and decision-makers addressing housing and transport. Most of their parents own the homes they lived in, but the kids weren’t confident they would be able to afford to buy when they grow up. Auckland house prices were having a big influence on Oliver Gracewood’s extended family - some were moving down to Wellington to find affordable homes, the 12-year-old said.

The city’s housing crisis was becoming a ‘‘big factor for people growing up’’.

‘‘I would like housing prices to go down,’’ Amanda Lowe, 13, said.

Georgina Bell, 12, is skeptical about Auckland housing ever becoming more affordable.

‘‘When we’re older it’s going to be really hard to get a house especially for someone who’s just moved out of home’’.

But Auckland’s growing sprawl should be stopped, Eden Hatafale, 13, said.

‘‘I hope we don’t grow to much as a huge city, too big is too much.’’