The Prime Minister and her Housing Minister have been left red-faced and scrambling to explain critical statements Ms Ardern made when in Opposition about plans to build thousands of houses on the Unitec Site in Auckland.

“When reminded of Jacinda Ardern’s statements last year criticising the suitability of the Unitec Site for the then planned 2,600 dwellings, Phil Twyford could not address the concerns raised by his boss.

“When the National Government first announced this major housing development for the Mt Albert electorate, the local MP, Jacinda Ardern, told media ‘there are questions around what kind of urban design will that project have; will it have an effect on traffic; will it overflow our schools?’

“Poor old Phil Twyford had to cover for his leader, telling Parliament that Ms Ardern has been continuously supportive of the Unitec development and she was ‘excited for her constituents about the investment in their community’.

“It’s extraordinary that Ms Ardern was concerned about National’s proposals for 2600 houses, yet seems fully in support of Mr Twyford’s plans for up to 4000 houses on the very same site.

“Jacinda Ardern and Phil Twyford are back-flipping like Olympians – and going for Gold,” Ms Collins says.

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