Phil Twyford

MP for Te Atatū
Housing Spokesperson

MEDIA STATEMENT

23 June 2016

National’s housing crisis hitting renters hard

National’s ongoing housing crisis is causing massive rental increases, with Auckland renters being hit the hardest, says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford.

“Auckland rents were up $1500 in the last year and $5000 in the last five years according to TradeMe.

“I don’t know how people are surviving with these increases in housing costs. No wonder we are seeing a surge in people living in cars and garages.

“Wages are stagnant and 43% of working New Zealanders didn’t receive a pay rise in the last year.

“With more than half of Auckland’s population now living in rentals and facing rising rents, this is putting huge economic pressure on people.

“Adding to the problem is National’s plan to hit Aucklanders with a tax of up to $2500 a year just to use the motorways. The Government is clearly out of touch.

“Rising rents are just another symptom of the housing crisis National has allowed to get out of control. Instead of their constant tinkering and spin, they should get on with building houses, cracking down on speculators, reforming restrictive planning rules, and making life better for renters with more security of tenure, and minimum standards to make all rentals warm and dry,” Phil Twyford says.

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