VIDEO: Harawira arrested at housing protest

15/10/2012 9:20:09 a.m.

Gabriel wrote:

I live in G.I. and in my street alone there are at least 15-20 properties that have been re-located in the past few months alone. It has changed the whole dynamics of our street and has virtually destroyed our community. There has been an empty lot next door to my home which had its house removed and has been vacant for well over 8 months now and as far as I know there is nothing in the "pipeline" to have anything done to the section.

I have seen many of the protestors at a lot of house removals doing exactly the same thing everytime, standing up and voicing thier concern and each time there is always a police presence. So why was there so many officers allocated to attend this protest? (There at least 4-5 paddie wagons, 6 units and at least 2 "D's"). Surely there is better things that these resources could have been assigned to.

@ Kim: I agree with there should be more housing as Auckland is rapidly growing at an alarming rate but when those homes are made availible they will be priced so far out of a lot of peoples range that they won't be able to afford to rent or buy them.

What I have seen is that families have been moved out of the G.I. area into the Panmure/Mt Wellington areas. What will happen once the Government has finished with the "Tamaki Development Project" and move onto those areas? Will those families affected by this re-location be hit once more and be further displaced? Food for thought...

12/10/2012 9:21:47 p.m.

At least Hone's an honest John wrote:

Breaking his car window sounds illegal. I reckon there's a case for taking the police to court. Hone could have bucket loads of support from disgruntled low income voters right now, hope he can see that many people want to support him but are seeking an assurance he'll work to breach the growing race-based divide that's been eroding this nation.

12/10/2012 9:21:25 p.m.

Kim wrote:

Surely taking 156 homes to replace with
260 is the better option. There is a need in society for more houses, this is a better way to fund them when you have no money. Auckland has a strategy of further housing intensification.

I note the comment "knocking down their homes" and while I understand that everybody has an attachment to their house, the state must do what is best for the many, not the few. The tenatns here, like any other renter, do not belong to the occupier - even though the state allows people to stay long term, many of whom believe they have ownership rights to the home eventually.

Please continue to reallocate our stretched resources to benefit more people. That is what our society is supposed to do - surely?