Minister withholds documents on affordable housing

Media Statement

3 July 2007

Minister withholds every document about affordable housing

The Ombudsman is being asked to investigate a decision by Housing Minister, Chris Carter, to decline a request by the Property Council of New Zealand to release any information about possible government proposals to introduce an affordable housing development contribution scheme.

Connal Townsend, Chief Executive of the Property Council, described Chris Carter’s decision to withhold all information as secretive and contrary to the principle of open government.

“Mr Carter has repeatedly made public statements proclaiming the benefits of requiring developers to allocation a portion of residential developments to ‘affordable housing’. So it is only right and proper that Mr Carter fronts up and provides information about his policy intentions in relation to this matter.

“The imposition of development contributions, levied under the Local Government Act 2002, are already driving up the cost of residential properties. The Auckland City Council’s development contributions policy alone will mean its new home owner levy on apartments in the Central Business District will increase from around $7,000 to over $40,000.

“Mr Carter’s government talks about the need to make residential property development more affordable.

Yet he and his colleagues have passed legislation that in fact has massively driven up the cost of development, which in turn makes private home ownership significantly less affordable for thousands of young families. Now he is talking about a new contributions scheme, which could potentially make housing even less affordable as the cost of development continues to rise,” Connal Townsend said.

The Property Council’s complaint to the Ombudsman is based on the principle that Mr Carter is not entitled to withhold information about a public policy issue that he is discussing in the public domain. The Property Council does not accept Mr Carter’s view that he is entitled to withhold every single page of every single document that falls within the scope of the Property Council’s request.

“All we are doing is asking the Minister, who represents the New Zealand government in relation to housing issues, to front up and release information about his policy ideas” Connal Townsend said. “The Official Information Meetings Act is crystal clear. Information shall be made available unless there is good reason for withholding it. The fact that Mr Carter decided, having first requested an extension of time, to withhold every single document makes the Property Council even more determined to force public disclosure,” Connal Townsend said.

ENDS

See...
Chris Carter response (PDF)
Appeal to Ombudsman (PDF)

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