Railway houses

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 42, 10 April 1984, Page 2

Railway houses

Mr Jim Simons, Labour candidate for King Country, has brought to my attention the Government's decision to dispose of surplus Railway houses in Ohakune. The effect of the Government's actions have been to subsidise city holidaymakers at the expense of people with real housing needs in Ohakune. I wish to support Mr Simon's strong opposition to that decision and to endorse the statement made by Ohakune Borough Mayor, Mr Bill Taylor, in the Waimarino Bulletin of 20 March 1984. The National Government's decision to sell off thousands of houses owned by Government Departments when there is a rental accommodation shortage crisis for lower income people is a disgrace. Where houses are surplus to one Department, such as the Railways, they should be turned over to the Housing Corporation which has an ever increasing waiting list of people. In Ohakune's case, it means that houses which should be used to meet the needs of local people will be leased cheaply to holiday-makers who will only use them several weeks a year. The decision makes no social sense. Nor does it make any economic sense for the Government to dispose of houses cheaply when it costs $60,000 or more to build new state houses. The general move by the Government can only be seen as a pathetic and cynical attempt to make a short-term capital gain to disguise its economic bankruptcy in election year. - The result of the decision will be that some families in Ohakune will continue to live in substandard accommodation or pay rents which they cannot afford. The Railways' houses which

could have been renovated will instead deteriorate and be used as winter-only ski accommodation. The empty houses should be a constant reminder to Ohakune of a Government which simply has not got its housing priorities right. The most basic social need of any family — a home — has been totally disregarded by this Government.

Phil

Goff

MP for Roskill