Election Issues
2007-11-28 16:07:00.0
AUTHOR: Judy Turner
If there was one item I would like to see on the election agenda next year it would be "Affordable Housing". Can you imagine the fantastic ideas that would emerge if everyone was competing to out-do each other with innovative ways to increase home ownership rates?
Personally I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all solution. Kevin Rudd has promised young Australians tax savings on home ownership accounts and that is a noble idea. But what about low-income families, with limited opportunities to save in a way that would see them have a realistic chance of putting together a deposit on a house where they could then afford to service the mortgage... how would that help them?
The Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit have put some real thinking into this issue and I encourage you to visit their web site: http:www.salvationarmy.org.nz/sppu_reports and see what you think of the ideas they suggest.
Feel free to comment on any ideas you may have on this essential policy.