Judith Collins - Housing and Urban Development

10 May 2018

The Government’s invitation to private developers to participate in KiwiBuild is a cry for help from a Minister who’s leaving a trail of U-turns and broken promises in his wake, National’s Housing and Urban Development spokesperson Judith Collins says.

“From a cast-iron election pledge to build 100,000 additional houses itself, the Government’s KiwiBuild plan has contorted into nothing more than going to private developers with a subsidy and a plea for help.

“In Opposition Phil Twyford never wavered. He said the previous Government had failed but he knew how to build the houses and he’d build 100,000 of them - for $2 billion in 10 years.

“Well it’s clear that he can’t and he won’t. His own officials are telling him that, though he’s still trying to bluster his way through what’s fast becoming a mess.

“And this is not the only 180 Mr Twyford has done, with Kiwibuild house prices now being based on the number of rooms.

“As an election promise, New Zealanders were told that KiwiBuild/buy/facilitate houses in Auckland would be priced at between $500,000 and $600,000, and apartments would be priced at $500,000 or lower.

“But the Government’s plea to the private sector, its Invitation to Participate, now says that a one bedroom dwelling will go for $500,000, two bedrooms $600,000 and three bedrooms $650,000.

“What a mess. Phil Twyford has stuffed the residential construction market and now he’s complaining the market’s stuffed. The private market was booming, with 200,000 new homes forecast over the next two years, before Mr Twyford decided to steal away resources and houses from the private sector to label them ‘KiwiBuild’.

“The Government is doing nothing but make it harder for New Zealanders to get into a home. Another day another broken promise.”

ends

© Scoop Media