The only word to
describe the latest building consent figures for Auckland is
‘tragic’, Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford
says.
“Whatever the Government is doing to address
the Auckland housing crisis, it is clearly not working.
“Today’s data shows Auckland building consents have
declined for two months in a row. The numbers of consents
for the city are now less than half what they were in
November: 967 in November, 630 in December, and 482 in
January
“Nationwide, even on a seasonally-adjusted
basis, consents fell 3.8 per cent this month. When you
exclude the number for apartments - which include retirement
villages and are prone to variation – they fell 7.5 per
cent. “At last month’s rate, Auckland would build
only 5784 houses over a year when it needs 13,000 just to
keep up with population growth.
“This pathetic
build rate, combined with record immigration, banks falling
over themselves to offer mortgage finance, and rampant
property speculation, means Auckland’s out of control
house price inflation will just continue under this National
Government.”
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