National ditches Mana after By-election loss
Moana Mackey
Spokesperson for
Housing
Kris
Faafoi
MP for Mana
30 November 2010 Media Release
National ditches Mana after By-election loss
With the by election behind them, National have shown their claims during the campaign that they are committed to addressing housing needs in Mana to be nothing more than empty rhetoric, Labour’s Spokesperson for Housing Moana Mackey and MP for Mana Kris Faafoi said today
A decision to spend another $30,000 on the Porirua train station was questioned by some Porirua city councillors last week when the money was redirected from the Housing New Zealand urban renewal programme.
Greater Wellington Regional Council is spending more than $1 million to upgrade Porirua's central train station but has asked PCC to stump up $30,000 to improve the bus shelter and footpath on Station Rd.
In a report to the city services committee on Thursday, it was suggested the money come from the Housing NZ renewal budget ‘that is not going to proceed during the current financial year’.
“Hekia Parata promised that her National led Government was going to invest in Mana housing, transport and the local economy. She regularly touted that this National government wasn’t about ‘and/ or’ solutions, but more about ‘and and and’ solutions,” said Kris Faafoi.
“Now they are making local councillors decide between investing in safe reliable transport or social housing renewal, making a mockery of Hekia's ‘and and and’ by election promises.
“This government’s track record on investing in social housing is abysmal. Last time they were in Government they sold off thousands of state houses and neglected those they held onto,” said Moana Mackey.
“Now with the by election over, it seems as if nothing has changed.
“Labour remains committed to investing in social housing, and our track record on upgrading state housing, buying back state housing stock and supporting community housing, especially in Mana, speaks for itself.
“What is becoming increasingly clear is that only a Labour Government will deliver housing solutions for the people of Mana,” said Kris Faafoi.
ENDS