New Zealanders deserve honest appraisal of Government housing failure

“New Zealanders deserve better than Phil Twyford’s ideological comments this morning on Q+A about a ‘market failure’ in housing”, says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“The Government’s own officials have said that, in Auckland, land use regulation could be responsible for up to 56 per cent, or $530,000, of the cost of an average home.

"ACT has revealed from Written Parliamentary Questions that Cabinet hasn’t even decided whether to consider reviewing the Resource Management Act - rules that determine what can be built where - after 150 days in the Beehive.

“New Zealand does not have a free market in housing. It is a market created and manipulated by government.

"The Government - whether central or local - controls the Resource Management Act, zoning, consents and other factors that influence the market.

“Our housing market isn’t a case of market failure but an example of regulatory failure. New Zealand has planning rules which mean that the market is not able to increase the supply of houses in response to increases in demand.

"New Zealanders deserve a Housing Minister that is willing to acknowledge that our planning rules need to change.

“Mr Twyford should seek urgent advice from his officials about replacing the Resource Management Act as a first step towards making housing more affordable”, says Mr Seymour.

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