Rt Hon Winston Peters

New Zealand First Leader

Member of Parliament for Northland
7 JULY 2016

Housing Plan Missing Vital Element – Immigration Restraint

The government cannot claim to have a comprehensive housing plan if it does not include massively curbing immigration demand for housing in Auckland, and elsewhere, says New Zealand First.

“In Parliament today Minister of Housing Nick Smith tried to play down the link to immigration and housing demand, and continues to ignore calls to act on immigration,” says New Zealand First Leader and Northland MP Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“Chief Executive of the Employers and Manufacturers’ Association Kim Campbell has urged the government to “join the dots”, and Michael Reddell, a former Reserve Bank economist, says immigration is part of the toxic brew that has caused the housing crisis in Auckland.

“How can a government not be concerned when 4,799 new dwelling consents issued between 1 October, 2015 and 31 March, 2016 will not result in enough houses for 34,000 new migrants moving to Auckland each year.

“The Reserve Bank and Auckland Chamber of Commerce both suggest 13,000 new homes must be built every year to meet demand.

“The latest plan of the government will not work unless immigration is curbed,” says Mr Peters.

ENDS

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