Phil Twyford

Housing Spokesperson

MEDIA STATEMENT

8 January 2017

English pulling a fast one on state house build

Bill English’s promise of a big Government-backed building programme for Auckland has been shown to be more smoke and mirrors, says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford.

Housing New Zealand officials admitted at a select committee hearing today that the number of state houses in Auckland will increase by only 722 over the next three years. That is a quarter of the current Auckland state house waiting list of 2,654 families.

“When Bill English promised 30,000 new homes to be built on state housing land, what he failed to say was that National will barely increase Auckland’s state housing stock at all, despite a burgeoning population and a chronic housing crisis.

“Families are living in cars and garages, and the best National can do is add an extra 240-odd state houses in Auckland per year.

“This is a Prime Minister who deceives rather than leads. Bill English should be taking real action on the housing crisis, not dressing up his half-measures as more than they are.

“The Salvation Army says we are on the wrong track under National – child poverty is worsening and the Government is failing to end the housing crisis. National’s failures to build houses for our families who are the most in need highlights their do-nothing attitude.

“Labour will build thousands of additional state houses alongside our policies to build 100,000 affordable homes for first homebuyers, ban foreign speculators, and require all rentals to be healthy to live in,” says Phil Twyford.

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