I will not live in a retirement home, but I will invest on them to get seven per cent interest. One couple told me recently that they have been in a retirement home for some years which they paid $500,000 for – but they expect it will sell our place for $1 million when they depart. Many of these homes also have very strange charges like $10 to use a shared toilet, and this used to be very minimal charge. Maybe it’s inflation? It is a sad situation for any organisation to make excess profits from the frail and elderly in society as at present. But who cares? Not the Government it would appear. So far those who profess to care are hard to find. Housing in the future will have many renting for life, as they will not have the money to buy into the present situation. What then is the question, we just have too many old people? Sorry, senior people. Tauranga – have humanity, if any is left, for the above.

Ron Chamberlain, Otūmoetai.