WILL IRVINE (HE/HIM)
In the immortal words of Crowded House, “things ain’t cookin’ in my kitchen / strange afflictions wash over me”. The reason things aren’t cooking? Because power is ridiculously fucking expensive. The strange affliction in question? Black mould poisoning. In this issue of Salient’s ongoing coverage of the fight for better student housing, in which VUWSA has assumed the historic role of the noble vanguard party, we bring you a portrait of Wellington in its decaying old age. In Biden-esque fashion, the nation’s capital appears to be slowly decaying while still insisting on its own coolness. Well, at Salient, we regret to inform you that not only is Wellington New Zealand’s “coolest little city”, but for many renters, it’s also the coldest little city.
As we reported last week, VUWSA has taken it upon themselves to support students through the cold winter, launching a petition to expand the Winter Energy Payment to students. VUWSA Equity Officer Josh Robinson told Salient that, just this year, a friend of his was rushed to hospital “with a respiratory illness due to a cold, damp, and mouldy flat”. Robinson said two thirds of students actively struggled to make ends meet. “This doesn’t have to be a rite of passage for students”.
I, Salient’s tallest and handsomest reporter, sat down with my flatmates to discuss the power bill. In our flat, I try to spice up the gloomy nature of the weekly power bill with a fun and exciting themed announcement. Past months have included mediaeval knights, spies, aliens, and robots. Lia, 19, had an emphatic response: “yeah, it’s really expensive”. Jess, also 19, brought an exciting new perspective to the table: “yeah”.
When Salient reporter Ethan Rogacion spoke to Minister for Social Development Louise Upston, she unsurprisingly had very little of value to say. “I know that it’s really tough for individuals and families out there”, she said, before reminding Mr. Rogacion that it was “only one more week ‘til tax relief”. I, for one, am deeply excited for the $2.15 a week that I will be receiving from Ms. Upston’s new tax cuts, which will very heavily benefit me and are not at all designed to prop up the growing landlord leech class. I will be spending it on half a can of Diet Coke.
When asked if the Government was doing enough to support students, Upston said that they were “focused on getting inflation down”, and refused to provide a stance on the Winter Energy Payment. However, VUWSA president Marcail Parkinson (commonly known as “Mikhail Parkalov” due to her vicious socialist tendencies) was quick to call Upston out on her BS. As Marcail noted, inflation continues to rise, especially on “property rates and related services”, which was up 9.6 percent in the year to June 2024. “The areas in which inflation has gone down are not areas that generally affect students, so they’re relying on a trickle-down economy”. In the United States, trickle-down economics has produced a wealth disparity higher than that in France before the French Revolution.
Parkinson and Robinson paint a bleak portrait of Pōneke, and it’s one that seems to resonate with students. For students in some of Wellywood’s coldest and dampest neighbourhoods, like Aro Valley or Karori, winter comes with the choice between crushing energy payments or “toughing it out” through the bitter cold. Salient, and this writer, agree that this is simply not good enough. We demand a Winter Energy Payment for students. And if you don’t want to live in the shattering cold, then maybe you should too.