Labour Anti-Landlords

Dr Muriel Newman
Monday, 13 June 2005
Press Releases - Taxation

Extract from speech to the Tauranga Property Investors Association, Compass Village, Monday 13 June, 7.30pm.

ACT Deputy Leader and Housing spokesman Dr Muriel Newman today urged the Tauranga Property Investors Association to vote against Labour at the next election if they wanted to retain residential property as a great way to save for their retirement.

"The Labour Government continually singles out landlords, yet overwhelmingly the problem is with bad tenants. It is hard to understand why the Government is so fixated with penalising landlords.

"Information released by Housing NZ shows that 90 percent of all complaints to the Tenancy Tribunal are against tenants. The majority of those complaints relate to unpaid rent and property damage. Tenants owed Housing NZ $2,157,593.13 in outstanding rent payments at 30 April 2005 and $1,875,492.21 in charges relating to damage by tenants.

"The Government should stop penalising landlords and start addressing the real problem -tenants from hell.

"Clearly the Government has avoided addressing that problem because tenants from hell are generally Labour voters.

"Steve Maharey should stop putting politics ahead of decent hard- working property investors, who are providing a valuable service to the country.

"The Government has failed to recognise the importance of private property investors in the residential market.

"The state clearly has a role in providing emergency housing. It should not be providing life long taxpayer subsidised accommodation.

ENDS

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