Shedding light on the ‘supported accommodation’ situation
What happened to the dream of the half gallon, quarter acre Kiwi paradise?
This cynical parody of life and housing in New Zealand, created by Austin Mitchell back in the early 70s, still mocks the concept of the ideal New Zealand home.
The phrase scoffed at attitudes at that time and continues to reverberate as a memorial to successive government attempts to sort out our housing crisis.
Ever since the keys to the first state house were handed over by legendary Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage, in 1937, this country has strived to find a balance between state supported accommodation and the endeavours of the private sector to keep a roof over Kiwi’s heads.
Now we’ve got ourselves into such a pickle. So much so that no one is certain who has ultimate responsibility for accommodating those in need of “supported accommodation”.
Somehow local government got lumbered with having to provide pension housing for the elderly.
Successive governments have promised to sort out the mess, fixing the boom-bust cycle of new homes, and sorting out the social issues caused by solid blocks of state housing.
To throw extra light on this situation, Positive Ageing, New Plymouth,
Age Concern Taranaki and the New Plymouth District Council are holding a free forum on April 18 in the district council’s debating chamber.
Experts will be asked to give their views on both this drastic problem and its solutions.
It might not be as evocative as Mitchell’s cynical observations, but it might help clear the air and get some resolution.
The forum, with a top panel of speakers, will start at 9:30am with time for questions. It will finish at 11am.