Labour should be ashamed of the fact its poor housing policies have seen the number of people waiting for state houses explode to almost 14,500 on its watch, National’s Associate Housing spokesperson Simon O’Connor says.

“New Zealanders want housing solutions, but all they’re getting from this Government is excuses.

“Such a sharp increase in just two short years can only be explained by poor Government policy. Labour was too quick to meddle in the rental market when it should have been focused on building houses.

“The reason we’re in this mess today is because KiwiBuild tanked, Labour’s new rental standards scared off landlords at the affordable end of the market, and its decision to end tenancy reviews increased pressure on social housing supply.

“Associate Housing Minister Kris Faafoi needs to admit his Government’s policies are the reason an unprecedented number of Kiwis spent Christmas waiting for a home, and why so many more are now feeling the pinch of rental shortages in places like Wellington.

“If the previous National Government hadn’t built more than 3000 new state houses, and started many of the state houses being built today, then the situation would be even direr.

“If given the chance to govern this year, National will prioritise our most vulnerable Kiwis by throwing our weight behind community housing providers and introducing a target to reduce the time it takes MSD to house Priority-A clients on the social housing register.”

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