KiwiBuild failures continue to bite

News the ill-conceived ballot process has failed young New Zealanders in Wanaka leading to the sale of KiwiBuild houses on the open market is further proof that KiwiBuild is a farce, National’s Housing and Urban Development spokesperson Judith Collins says.

“KiwiBuild is descending into one of the biggest failures of public policy in recent New Zealand history. Only four of the first 10 KiwiBuild houses in Wanaka sold at ballot as intended. This is an ominous sign as the Minister has agreed to underwrite 211 houses in Wanaka.

“We are seeing the same concerning pattern in Te Kauwhata, where none of the first 10 of 175 homes sold through the ballot.

“The list of KiwiBuild failures is now longer than that of KiwiBuild home addresses and the policy desperately needs a rethink before more young New Zealanders are let down.

“The ballot system was always ill conceived. It was just something the Government put in place because it had no other ideas and no desire to pursue them.

“Why should taxpayers subsidise houses for a select group of New Zealanders lucky enough to be drawn from the ballot? And why should they be able to pocket the capital gain? Especially when, as we know some of those New Zealanders are already well off.

“It’s unfair and untargeted and it’s not working - just like the Government was told.

“It’s yet more evidence the Government was lazy and didn’t give any thought to a multi-billion policy beyond the headlines it would create.

“Now there are more nails in the coffin of KiwiBuild than in the houses themselves. It’s time for the Government to admit failure.

“National knows the answer to providing the houses New Zealanders need is to reform our planning laws to make it easier to build. That’s why we will put forward a reformed RMA Bill this year to show New Zealanders that there is hope and a way forward.”

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