We all say we support social housing… just not in our own neighbourhood. Sound familiar?
I was quoted in today’s Waikato Times article about the scrapped Kāinga Ora development in Flagstaff—a project that faced intense local opposition.
Let’s be honest: New Zealand needs more homes. Social housing, affordable rentals, medium-density townhouses—yet every time something is proposed, the local backlash begins.
We can’t keep asking for affordability while rejecting the very developments that could help fix the problem.
If we’re serious about housing, we need to reduce red tape, simplify planning, and allow more homes to be built. Regulation adds cost. Delay adds cost. And objections to “what’s next door” just keep pushing house prices higher.
Don’t like what’s happening next door? Sell and move. But don’t block progress for those who simply want a place to live.
It’s time to grow up as a country.

Read the full article here from Waikato Times

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