The research showed benefits that come from home ownership in terms of health, employment, crime, welfare, education and economic outcome, as well as the fiscal benefits of transferring New Zealand renters into affordable home ownership.

A case study of a community assisted by the foundation was also reported on.

The statement by the Cardinal and the Archbishop is as follows:

“If you give New Zealanders the facts, most of us know what’s a fair deal. 

“Most of us have a gut instinct that owning a home makes us more secure and stable. And if we were pressed, we’d say that home ownership builds healthier and happier individuals, families, and communities.  

“The research released by the Housing Foundation today demonstrates that our instincts here are right.  

“Three pieces of distinct, inter-related research demonstrate a direct link between decent housing; and healthier, happier, stronger, more resilient individuals, families, and communities. 

“This research also confirms, beyond doubt, that the housing scene in New Zealand is radically different from what it was 25 years ago — and those changes are for worse, not for better.

“For example, the research shows that: 

• Between 1991 and 2015 the proportion of Kiwi households who owned their homes had shrunk from 74 per cent to 64 per cent.

• While over the same period the proportion of Kiwi households who rent had ballooned from 23 to 32 per cent. Those are Statistics New Zealand figures.

• And that’s saying nothing about the runaway cost of housing in our largest city, where today’s research shows that 115,000 renters can’t afford the median Auckland rent of $540 per week. We are at a tipping point.  

“Families are paying to live in places that are simply not fit to live in, places that make them and their children sick. There are no consequences for landlords, but significant consequences for all taxpayers who pick up the costs of the consequences. 

“Churches and church agencies up and down the country are directly supporting those who are struggling, and our people at the coalface tell us that things are not improving.  

“They are seeing more signs of need, greater levels of poverty, more stress, and a growing gap between those who have, and those who do not have. 

“This is an issue for all New Zealanders. We need to raise our voices in support of the right of everyone to a dry, warm, safe and secure home — and we call upon all political parties to provide policies that will deliver this. 

“We need to raise our voices against the ‘wisdom’ that suggests that market forces can and should meet the need.  Because this Housing Foundation research, and our experience, proves they do not.

“Councils, governments, private property owners, and   all have a role to play to make the housing system in New Zealand work better to meet the needs of all Kiwis.  

“We believe that every person is created in the image of God, and that every person has the right to flourish. But no-one in poverty can flourish. 

“Ensuring everyone has a dry, warm, safe and secure home is the single most important thing we can do to lift all New Zealanders out of poverty.

“A generation ago, owning your own home was an achievable aspiration for most New Zealanders.

 “We must not let that aspiration go — we must not sell off our Kiwi birthright.”

The post Church leaders speak out on housing appeared first on NZ Catholic Newspaper.

 As leaders in our three Churches we wish to publicly state our concern about the proposed deportation of several students from India for falsification of their visa papers, said Cardinal Dew, Archbishop Philip Richardson and Rev. Prince Devandanan.

The church leaders do not believe the students intended to deceive the New Zealand Government in this way.

“Having looked at their situation it seems to us that these students have been duped by unscrupulous immigration agents in India. In a previous similar cases we understand that where documentation had been deemed falsified by immigration agents then the group was allowed to stay.” Archbishop Richardson said.

This points to an inconsistency in policy and an unfair treatment of this group of students, the leaders stated.

A statement by the church leaders noted that “the students were up-to- date with course fees at their educational establishments. They could not draw New Zealand benefits because they are not citizens or residents. Most of them were tax-paying workers according to their visa conditions and they were contributing to the New Zealand economy via their taxes, course fees and general living expenses”.

“We do not deny that the New Zealand Government has a duty to carefully scrutinise immigration applications, nor that applicants have a responsibility in regard to their applications. However these can be complicated processes and the role and legitimacy of immigration agents also needs careful scrutiny. Immigration New Zealand seems to have erred in its processes as well.”

 “We urge the Government to re-consider the case of these students. We do so on the basis of concern for the human situation of the students, our Christian responsibility to care for ‘the stranger, the widow and the orphan’ among us, and a concern for just application of New Zealand’s immigration policy,” Cardinal John Dew said.  

The post Church leaders concerned at plight of Indian students facing deportation appeared first on NZ Catholic Newspaper.

Cardinal Dew will be attending the closing Mass for the Jubilee Year of Mercy which will be celebrated by Pope Francis, and will have with him  a special book containing the names of those who have taken part in Bible Society’s Poverty and Justice Bible campaign.

This is the second time Cardinal Dew has personally prayed for Kiwis in Rome. Last year he prayed specifically for those who had requested prayer at his titular church – Sant’Ippolito, where he is Cardinal-Priest.

The Bible Society of New Zealand has been collecting names and prayer requests throughout 2016.

And there is still time to participate. To submit a prayer request for Cardinal John Dew please visit www.povertyandjustice.nz and fill out the form.

The post People can request that Cardinal Dew prays for them in St Peter’s Basilica appeared first on NZ Catholic Newspaper.