No one is against public housing, however the decision to place this large intensified development right next to the carrot park is a bad decision made by council and government officials. There is land scattered around Ohakune which is very affordable, there are also houses available under $500k; putting all this public housing in one place where families and kids congregate will likely be pushed away by intimidation, scary and noisy dogs, tagging and graffiti etc. See https://www.saveohakune.com/what-we-are-doing for more up to date info

Petition of Barry Murphy: Stop the Kainga Ora/Ruapehu District Council State-Housing Development at Teitei Drive, Ohakune, rather use existing land and properties on the public market.

Petition Request: That the House of Representatives order Kainga Ora not to proceed with the development of the land, and if it does proceed, be done with notification and consultation with the community.

Petition Reason:

1. The proposed development is poorly situated as it abuts one of Ohakune’s top tourism attractions – the Carrot Adventure Park – and will create potential traffic-pedestrian hazards and other negative social impacts.
2. The building sites of the proposed development are high-density, and not in keeping with the character and strict covenants placed on neighbouring properties.
3. The small demand for social housing in Ohakune can easily be fulfilled by housing and/or building sites currently on the market in the town – there is no need to place even more pressure on overburdened infrastructure, including wastewater treatment, and a lack of basic social services such as healthcare.
4. Ohakune is the Central Plateau’s tourism hub, but it is in a fragile space after negative media surrounding the ski fields. Any mass influx of social housing tenants (to fill the 130-plus houses proposed across three stages) could reflect negatively on the town’s image, as has been the case in Rotorua, and have major negative impacts on local businesses and tourism operators.
5. Ohakune is home to around 1000 residents, with visitor numbers reaching 11,000 in peak periods such as the winter season. There are not a lot of job opportunities and the towns cost of living (shops, electricity, heating & petrol) is expensive due to where it is situated.

- Petition raised Barry Murphy, 30 Snowmass Drive, Ohakune (August 3, 2023)