Hon Phil Heatley

Housing Minister

16 December 2008
Media Release

Housing Briefings to Incoming Minister released

Housing Minister Phil Heatley has today released the Housing New Zealand and Department of Building and Housing Briefings to the Incoming Minister.

The briefings highlight big pressures on New Zealanders’ access to appropriate housing and the work necessary to improve the quality of State housing stock.

Notable in the Housing New Zealand briefing is an estimated $2 billion required to address deferred maintenance and upgrade State houses to an appropriate standard.

“This reveals a shameful legacy of window dressing by the former Labour government.

“Grand statements were made about delivering new houses while existing State houses were crumbling in the background.”

The briefing floats the possibility of bringing forward capital investment in State housing, particularly a significant State housing upgrade programme, options which are receiving urgent consideration.

“The dire state of Housing New Zealand’s portfolio comes at a time when the Department of Building and Housing is reporting a sharp downturn in the building and construction sector.

“The Government is committed to addressing these issues, including the role of the Resource Management Act in creating unacceptable costs and uncertainties, which constrain development activity.”

ENDS

This briefing is available at: http://beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/BIM_Housing_combined.pdf & http://beehivegovt.nz/sites/all/files/HNZC_BIM.pdf

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