Recommended Steps for the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment

Prepared by: RS2B

Forwarded to: Ministry of business, innovation, and Employment

I declared that this assignment has been written by me individually excluding any form of assistance from other parties. Also, that I have acknowledged all the reference materials. Signed (your name should without mistake be sign here for all drafts)

To: Ministry of business, innovation, and Employment

From: Date: 7th of June 2017

Subject: Formal Report for The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Recommendation for the Ministry of Business, Innovations and Employment

Creation of the New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovations and Employment was done in July 2012 and several agencies had been brought together which has now been transformed into a new organization. Several departments can be seen in the Ministry including science and innovation. With more than 3,300 staff, the Ministry helps to strengthen New Zealand's economy. The ministry is responsible for managing the country's $116 billion worth of infrastructure assets (The Thirty Year New Zealand Infrastructure Plan, 2015). The New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has done a lot to improve the quality of life and living standards of its citizens, but still, a lot more needs to be done to support the ever-increasing human population.

This report aims to cite some of the problems, effects, solutions and recommendations related to the housing problems in New Zealand with demonstrating some of the problems the ministry is facing.

1- Housing portfolio not matching the housing needs

Most of the existing City Council houses were built between the 1950s and the 1960s, and they are unable to provide for the housing demand of today’s generation, which has an increasing population (New Zealand Government, 2016). Additionally, family sizes have expanded, and require more housing units (New Zealand Government, 2017).

2- Aging Waste-Water System

The poor state of most of the New Zealand's waste water systems is very clear when one gains access to a majority of the average citizens residential areas. Additionally, one of the most critical aspects of New Zealand's aging wastewater infrastructure in the forgotten, buried underground, waste-water systems that rarely undergo maintenance services (Baserba, Senante, Pereira & Sancho, 2015).

Solutions

This report suggests three possible solutions that the Ministry needs to consider in addressing housing problems in New Zealand. The solutions include the use of a profound research on the country's housing system, the creation of $1 billion housing fund, and the Evaluation of New Alternatives for Effective Wastewater System.

1 – A profound research of the housing system

The New Zealand's Housing Commission needs to evaluate the report titled "Better Urban Planning" so as to understand the existing housing problems and suggest potential solutions. The report uses a "blue skies" approach to potential reform of the housing planning system, and it would be of great significance for the New Zealand's Housing Commission (Auckland Council, 2017).

2 – Create the 1$ billion housing fund

The Ministry should introduce a housing infrastructure project for several citizens who require emergency housing. Such a step will significantly reduce the increasing cost of houses in New Zealand (Ministry of Social Development, 2015). Additionally, various city Councils with the highest population growth rates, such as Auckland, Queenstown, and Christchurch, should be encouraged to apply for such projects so as to enable them to build new houses (Victorio, 2007).

3 – Evaluation of New Alternatives for Effective Wastewater System

The Ministry should evaluate various latest inventions in the field of wastewater systems so as to identify the most effective waste-water management model and renew or replace the New Zealand's old and outdated wastewater infrastructure in residential areas(Baserba, Senante, Pereira & Sancho, 2015).

Discussion

This report has suggested three possible solutions to overcome the existing housing problems in New Zealand. While the use of extensive research on the country's housing system will require an additional allocation of fund. In addition, it will make significant contributions towards creating a clear understanding of the country's housing problems. As a result, it will help in designing the most suitable implementation procedures of the suggested solutions (Christchurch City Council, 2015).

The $1 billion housing infrastructure fund will be helpful in supporting the construction of affordable housing facilities to several average New Zealand citizens. The project will involve equipping the new houses with safe drinking water and reliable drainage systems (New Zealand Government, 2009).

Finally, the installation of new wastewater systems that cover all the residential buildings in the New Zealand’s major cities will significantly reduce the country’s problems relating to wastewater overflows, a situation which will, in turn, improve the quality of air in all the major cities. Most of the current wastewater systems in the country have exceeded the timeline of their useful life, a situation which leads to consistent cases of waste-water pipe bursts across the country (Baserba, Senante, Pereira & Sancho, (2015). However, the installation of new wastewater systems does not necessarily change the major problem of housing in New Zealand. It only partially solves the problem of cleanliness and hygiene in the housing systems while people remain on the same poor housing conditions of old houses. In addition, installing new wastewater systems is much costly on already existing infrastructure. It would be much easier and less costly to install them on newly built houses (Micalea, 2016).

Conclusion

To understand the problems and suggest solutions identified in this paper, the New Zealand government should take issues affecting housing businesses very seriously. In addition, the citizens should endeavor to act on the solutions identified above to push their housing endeavors to higher state. Finding out solutions for the housing issues we are facing will increase New Zealand productivity and production.

Recommendations

To solve the above housing problems, the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment have to follow these two recommendations.

1 – Create a fund for housing

To supply houses with convenient facilities for tenants, housing infrastructure fund should be created. Through using this funding, the old houses can be demolished to pave way for the new housing units which will be sizable and meet the latest increasing needs for family. These houses should be well equipped with water, electricity and the roads should be accessible (National State of Infrastructure Report, 2016).

2- Installation of Modern Waste-Water Drainage System

The Ministry should emphasize the use of the latest technology and equipment in replacing the country's old waste-water drainage system. Besides, the ministry should ensure that all the new buildings in New Zealand's major cities are equipped with effective and modern wastewater drainage systems before they are put into use.

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References

Auckland Council. (2017). Auckland’s Infrastructure Plan, 2017. Retrieved from http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/HowCouncilWorks/PerformanceAndTransparency/Documents/aucklandcouncilperformanceplan20172019.pdf

Baserba, G., Senante, M., Pereira, A., & Sancho, H. (2015). Selecting sewage sludge treatment alternatives in modern wastewater treatment plants using environmental decision support systems. Journal Of Cleaner Production, 107, 410–419. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.11.021

Christchurch City Council. (2015). Christchurch City Council Infrastructure Strategy 2015-2045. Retrieved from https://www.ccc.govt.nz/consents-and-licences/construction-requirements/infrastructure-design-standards

Leaska, Micalea. “Solid Waste Management of Disposable Diaper Sanitationand the Connection to Environmental Awareness for Women in Zanzibar.” (2016).

Ministry of Social Development. (2015). Social housing reform programme 2015. Retrieved from https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/work-programmes/housing/social-housing-reform-programme-factsheet.pdf

New Zealand Government. (2015). A Thriving New Zealand 2015. Retrieved from https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/statement-of-intent/docs/soi-2015-2019-3-thriving.pdf

New Zealand Government. (2017). Connecting New Zealand 2017. Retrieved from http://www.transport.govt.nz/ourwork/keystrategiesandplans/connectingnewzealand/

New Zealand Government. (2009). Infrastructure Facts and Issues 2009. Retrieved from http://www.infrastructure.govt.nz/plan/2010development/ifi/inf-facts-issues-sep09.pdf

New Zealand Government. (2011). National Infrastructure Plan 2011. Retrieved from http://www.infrastructure.govt.nz/plan/2011/nip-jul11.pdf

New Zealand Government. (2016). National State of Infrastructure Report 2016. Retrieved from http://www.infrastructure.govt.nz/plan/2015implementation/2016report/nsir-oct16.pdf

New Zealand Government. (2015). The Thirty Year New Zealand Infrastructure Plan 2015. Retrieved from http://www.infrastructure.govt.nz/plan/2015/nip-aug15.pdf

Victorio, A. (2007). Search theory and subsidized housing demand in New Zealand. Applied Economics Letters, 14(6), 395-399. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13504850500461621