At certain times over the course of New Zealand’s history, it has become clear that a fundamental shift in thinking is needed. We believe that such a shift is now required in the way we as a
country house our people. Housing is a human right but it is so much more than that: a home is a sanctuary, a safe place, a place for children to grow, a space for us to grow old in. A safe, secure, and affordable home enables us to learn, participate, and work these are all markers of a decent society and should be something that all of us can access, not just a lucky few.

The housing crisis we are in now is, without doubt, largely the consequence of economy-wide policy changes enacted by successive governments since the 1980s. The erosion of labor protections has kept wages low and undermined job security. The state supports homeownership has been removed and the role of the state in the provision, planning, and regulation of housing minimized. Despite major tax reform in the 1980s, wealth remains largely untaxed and, as several authors outline in this book, the tax system is structured in such a way as to favor property ownership over other forms of retirement savings.