Briefly in the news in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Wednesday, November 19:

* An extra 1,967 people have been put in prison since late 2023, increasing the total population by September 30 to a record-high 10,860, which PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday was “a good thing” and he wasn’t worried about the cost, saying: “We make no apologies about that. The cost will be what the cost will be.” (RNZ)

* Luxon also acknowledged yesterday the Government would fail to achieve its already-extended target of recruiting an extra 500 Police officers to reach a total of 10,711 by November 27 (next Thursday), describing it as a “stretch target” and adding: “It’s taking longer than we had hoped for. It’ll be what it will be.” (RNZ)

* Luxon said a year ago of the target: “We’re going to do it. Judge me by the results when we get there.”

* One reason for the failure to hit the target is that 212 officers had resigned and moved to Australia to become officers there, including between 50-60 who went to Northern Territory, where Police pay a housing allowance of $32,000 a year, on top of a starting salary of A$140,000. (1News)

* Meanwhile, the day after it emerged Housing Minister Chris Bishop had moved funds from Kāinga Ora’s cancelled house-building programme to build a bridge in his Lower Hutt electorate, NZ Herald-$ reported this morning that 402 of the 642 applications for emergency housing in Auckland in August were declined.

* The Government is now spending $1.9 billion a year housing nearly 11,000 prisoners (an average of $173,000 per prisoner per year) and has signed off on plans to spend billions more to build another 2,190 prison beds in the next four years.

* Also since its formation in late November 2023, the Coalition Government has cancelled plans to build another 3,500 Kāinga Ora homes and has removed 2,500 people from emergency housing in motels, some of whom it does not know where they ended up. Charities helping the homeless say many have ended up sleeping in doorways, tents and under motorway bridges, including over 600 in Auckland.

* Many of the rough sleepers have gone to Hospital A&E departments over winter with ailments picked up living in the open, forcing the Government to spend hundreds of millions more on pre-fabricated A&E beds, and some have ended up in prison at a cost of almost $500 per night.

* But businesses want even more people churning through the country. BusinessNZ called this morning for an extra 250,000 workers by 2045, suggesting average net migration be increased to 125,000 per year to reach a total population of 10 million by 2060, almost double the current population of 5.3 million, which it said “would require a policy and infrastructure shift.”

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Churning & burning to imprison more & house less

The numbers are remorseless and confronting, let alone the political commentary around them.

The Government has increased the prison population by 1,967 to a record-high 10,860 since its formation in late November. It is now spending over $1.9 billion a year housing them and plans to add another 2,189 beds over the next four years.

PM Christopher Luxon was asked about the record-high number of prisoners and the failure to recruit the 500 extra Police officers yesterday.

“Absolutely, that’s a good thing. Yep, good thing.

“I understand the financial implication of restoring law and order in New Zealand, but we make no apologies about that. The cost will be what the cost will be.” PM Christopher Luxon

To investigate, arrest and accuse them of crimes, the Police are spending $3 billion a year and the Government has a target to increase the number of officers by 500 to 10,071 by next Thursday. Treasury said the target was now unlikely to be achieved until September of next year.

Housing shortage a big reason for exodus of officers to Australia

One reason it will fail to meet the target is churn of almost 40% of that recruitment number to Australia. 1News reported last night 212 officers had resigned and emigrated to to Australia to become officers there, including 50-60 who went to Northern Territory. Police confirmed there had been 670 vetting requests from Australian Police for New Zealand officers in the last two years.

“We’ve been ramping up our recruitment, probably post Covid significantly. So we have been going to other other states, and New Zealand a number of cases. I think this is probably the fourth time in the last two or so years.” Northern Territory Police Acting Superintendent Serge Bouma

Bouma said housing was a major draw for New Zealand officers.

“One of the big, big ticket items that we offer to every single sworn police officer is housing, housing support.”

(If officers do not take a department-leased home) “we will supplement your income at I think currently, it’s just shy of $32,000 a year over and above your normal income as a tax allowance.”

“A new constable would be on about $140,000 Australian (before allowances, penalties and overtime) Bouma

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said he hoped some would come home, noting there had been enquiries from 16 of the 212 about coming home.

The Daily Chart Pack: Churning, burning & sleeping rough

In politics, NZ’s prison population hits a record high…

…while the number of rejected bids for housing support rises.

My Pick n’ Mix of links elsewhere

* Investigation by Kirsty Johnson for RNZ: How the fuel of ‘last resort’ became New Zealand’s first choice

* Investigation by Farah Hancock for RNZ: Luxon’s broken promise on feral cats

* Deep-dive Daniela Maoate-Cox for The House via RNZ: How a ‘loophole’ resulted in 11-day submission period on fast-track amendments law

* Sue Teodoro for Stuff: ‘If towns can’t grow, the region can’t grow’ ‘Builder laments development woes“The number one issue for me is the uncertainty,” Greytown-based master builder and construction company owner Paul Southey says in relation to current development restrictions.’

* Libby Kirkby-McLeod for RNZ: Refuge organisations shocked at increase in women needing to escape abuse

* Anne Gibson for NZ Herald-$: Retiree kept waiting for $515k, Metlifecare cites housing market for unsold apartment

Cartoons: The winner grins and the apple rots

Timeline-cleansing nature pic: ‘Well, hello…’

Ka kite ano

Bernard

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