Alan Johnson

Guest writer

Alan Johnson is co-convenor of the Child Poverty Action Group, and an independent public policy analyst. He previously worked as principal analyst at the Ministry for the Environment, senior social policy analyst at The Salvation Army's Social Policy & Parliamentary Unit, and was the author of The Salvation Army's State of the Nation Reports from 2009 to 2019 as well as most of its reports on housing.

Image: Tina Tiller

The Kāinga Ora review avoids the big and obvious questions

Its criticisms of Kāinga Ora are valid, but the report offers little to address Aotearoa's chronic shortage of affordable rental housing.

By Alan Johnson | 22nd May, 2024

Image: Supplied; design by The Spinoff

Why public housing is under threat from the debt narrative

Kāinga Ora's debt problem is serious – but so is the urgent need for more affordable homes.

By Alan Johnson | 13th May, 2024

Photo: Getty Images; additional design by Tina Tiller

As Labour again fails to address the housing crisis, our most vulnerable suffer

Another budget, another chance to make a difference to New Zealand’s chronic shortage of affordable housings wasted.

By Alan Johnson | 25th May, 2022

(Photo: Dean Purcell/Getty Images)

With the economy in crisis, those living in poverty are set to miss out. Again

How will the budget alleviate New Zealand's pressing social issues?

By Alan Johnson | 13th May, 2020

Phil Twyford. Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images

The trickledown farce of Kiwibuild obscures a much more urgent housing crisis

Fixation on gentrifying state housing neighbourhoods to provide sites for KiwiBuild developments seriously undermines the opportunity to meet the most pressing needs

By Alan Johnson | 15th November, 2018

A squandered opportunity to be transformational on poverty

A squandered opportunity to be transformational on poverty

The Labour-led government has missed its chance to help those in the worst poverty

By Alan Johnson | 18th May, 2018