6 Dec 2018

The history of property speculation in NZ

From Afternoons, 2:34 pm on 6 December 2018
William Wentworth who claimed he had bought the South Island for a few hundred pounds in 1840

William Wentworth who claimed he had bought the South Island for a few hundred pounds in 1840 Photo: courtesy cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au.

New Zealand has experienced rampant property speculation during the first two decades of the twenty-first century.  This has helped to cause a housing crisis and possibly locked a generation out of home ownership. 

Why was this allowed to happen? 

Our regular historian, Grant Morris says the most important reason can be found by examining New Zealand's history.