Tagged: conflict of interest

Breaking news: Occupations extremely likely to be property speculating

Cartoon by Vincent Konrad for Socialist Review - used with permission

Cartoon by Vincent Konrad for Socialist Review – used with permission

I have undertaken cutting-edge statistical analysis of the Register of Pecuniary and Other Specified Interests of Members of Parliament, which has revealed some shocking information.

People of the following occupations are all extremely likely to own real property beyond the family home and Māori land interests:

Labour MP: 50%

National MP: 76.27%

Green MP: 50%

NZ First MP: 58.3% or 61.54%*

United Future MP: 100%

These rates are all extremely high – far higher than any ethnic or national group, for example. It is clear what we must do to curb property speculation and solve the housing crisis: Ban MPs from buying property in NZ.

*Info not available for new MP Ria Bond.

Landlord, local MP, regional czar, next-door-neighbour-to-my-doctor, guy-who-took-a-photo-of-me-once

Brownlee property ownership 31/1/2013 - http://www.parliament.nz/resource/0000262069

Inspired by comments on the Standard, I checked out the Register of Pecuniary and Other Specified Interests of Members of Parliament here. I was particularly interested in Gerry Brownlee’s* four** properties in his (and my) stomping ground of northwest Christchurch.

In ensuing Facebook discussion, a few questions quickly presented themselves:

  1. How much passive income does Brownlee get for his* properties, and how much has it gone up since 2010 and him subsequently “letting the market sort out” the housing crisis?
  2. How is someone whose decisions have such a massive impact on the Christchurch housing ‘market’ allowed to own potentially millions dollars’ worth* of properties here?
  3. Is it even ok to be both landlord and local MP for several houses’ worth of people?
  4. Is he a ‘good landlord?’ Are his properties part of the 44% of NZ’s rental housing assessed as in poor condition?
  5. Who’d like to become one of his tenants? (there are ways of finding out the addresses.)

* It’s possible that Brownlee only has a small pecuniary interest in the listed properties. The Register doesn’t declare other owners, if any.
** As at 31/01/2013. Apparently it’s become five since then.