The real cost of housing excuses

Sleeping in cars became a trend in 2016. (Image: NZME)

Mon, 15 Jul 2024

In 2018, it took a bit of driving around to find someone sleeping in their car. Back then, this problem occurring at scale was something relatively new. Things were bad on the housing front and getting worse.Find one I eventually did, parked at the back of Clendon Library in Manurewa, Auckland. Not too many people would react well to a journalist coming up to their car in the middle of the night to ask if this was where they were planning to sleep but thankfully this guy was happy to talk. Sleeping in a car wasn’t his...

Subscribe to BusinessDesk

Stay informed on business, government and financial developments across New Zealand.

Deeply researched, twice-edited and fact-checked news
Annual subscribers also receive a complimentary subscription to The Wall Street Journal
Personalised email news alerts, plus gift up to 5 stories a month to non-subscribers

You can cancel anytime with two clicks, an email or a phone call.
Find out more.

We are serious about journalism.

Already a Subscriber ? Sign in here.

Name {{ registerForm.errors.get('name') }}

Email address {{ registerForm.errors.get('email') }}

Phone Number {{ registerForm.errors.get('phone') }}

Job Title {{ registerForm.errors.get('title') }}

Password Minimum password length of 8 characters.
Require at least one upper and lowercase, numeric, and special character. {{ registerForm.errors.get('password') }}

Repeat password {{ registerForm.errors.get('password_confirmation') }}

We had trouble validating your card. It's possible your card provider is preventing us from charging the card. Please contact your card provider or customer support.

Credit Card

Cardholder's name

{{ __(plans[index].name) | capitalize }} {{ plans[index].attributes.old_price | currency }} {{ plans[index].price | currency }}

All subscriptions auto renew but are easy to cancel.

I Accept The Terms Of Service

{{ registerForm.errors.get('terms') }}

Tax: {{ taxAmount(selectedPlan) | currency }}

Total Price Including Tax: {{ priceWithTax(selectedPlan) | currency }} {{ selectedPlan.type == 'user' && spark.chargesUsersPerSeat ? '/ '+ spark.seatName : '' }} {{ selectedPlan.type == 'user' && spark.chargesUsersPerTeam ? '/ '+ __('teams.team') : '' }} / {{ __(selectedPlan.interval) | capitalize }}

Infrastructure

'Meth' ministry moves: staffing data sought for four-way merger

Work is progressing on a four-ministry merger with the pejorative nickname ‘Meth’.

Dileepa Fonseka 5:00am

World

Stronger growth, weaker hiring

In the latest survey, economists also predict the Fed will become less independent.

The Wall Street Journal 5:00am

Startups

Dispute Buddy startup makes its case for ‘justice tech’

The software tool extracts phone messages to build an AI-assisted legal summary.

Greg Hurrell 5:00am

Dispute Buddy startup makes its case for ‘justice tech’

Sponsored

Diversification has never been more important, says award-winning fund manager

Harbour Asset Management

Sponsored

The risks of powering New Zealand’s data boom

Sydney has curbed data centres to save power and water. Can New Zealand plan more wisely?

Dentons

More Infrastructure

Infrastructure

'Meth' ministry moves: staffing data sought for four-way merger

Work is progressing on a four-ministry merger with the pejorative nickname ‘Meth’.

Dileepa Fonseka 5:00am

Infrastructure

Aratere sold for scrap, price deemed commercially sensitive

The Aratere ferry has been sold to a specialist recycling shipyard in India for an undisclosed amount.“Details of the sale price are commercially sensitive,” Duncan Roy, executive general manager of Interislander, said. The ferry was retired last August to make way for the port...

Rebecca Howard 10 Oct 2025