A mythology is developing about falling home ownership rates. The New Zealand Institute, the Salvation Army and the Government all seem concerned about census data on this. The headline normally says something about ownership rates having fallen from 74 per cent in 1991 to 68 per cent in 2001. Your article 'Government thinking radically on home front' accepts the myth.
The truth is less dramatic. Statistics New Zealand understands that census information on home ownership is flawed. All that the latest censuses can say is that the proportion of people who say they own their homes has fallen. That doesn't tell us who owns either the other 32 per cent of occupied homes or the 147,435 houses that were unoccupied on census night 2001 (9.7 per cent of all housing).
On more careful examination, all we can say is that we don't know what proportion of homes is owned by the usual occupants and by their associated trusts. However, we can say that it is probably higher than the headlined 68 per cent.
This less dramatic story won't touch those who are arguing for taxpayer handouts to fix an apparent 'problem'. However, it should worry taxpayers who will be paying for those handouts.
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