Rt Hon Winston Peters

New Zealand First Leader

Member of Parliament for Northland
6 SEPTEMBER 2016

Maori Party Called to Account on Housing

The Maori Party must front up and oppose legislation which is being fast-tracked today through all stages so the government can flog off state housing land, says New Zealand First.

“Surely the Maori Party cannot support the Housing Amendment Bill which will remove the legal requirement for the government to offer the land back to the previous owners,” says New Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“The party sat on the homeless inquiry with two other parties, yet so far appear to be backing the government to destroy state housing in this country – homes for the very people they were apparently so concerned about.

“Housing Minister Nick Smith claims he is ‘clarifying’ the law and he’s speeding up house building on public land.

“In fact what he is doing is to speed up the sell-off of state house land as he has no genuine plan to build more state houses.

“The Bill is a panic measure by a Minister not on top of his portfolio.

“When did he suddenly realise that time is running out for special housing areas and if they don’t get started they will have to go back to the beginning.

“New Zealand First will oppose this Bill – we have a better plan to buy land and get houses built.”

ENDS

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