Hollywood ending for Hobbit – what about housing?

Hollywood ending for Hobbit saga – but what about the housing sector?

New Zealand is celebrating a happy ending for the Hobbit, but jobs in one of the country’s biggest sectors remain under threat.

“Can we expect the government to step in and reassure construction workers and related trades as well?” asks group builder Milestone Homes.

Milestone Homes Business Development Manager David Wilson says: “The building industry touches the lives of almost every New Zealander; it is vital for our economic performance and prosperity. But the continued downturn in demand for new homes is putting jobs at risk.”

His comments come as the building consent figures for September are published – falling for the third consecutive month.

“The housing market is in bad shape. Loss of skilled workers and trainees now will impair the productivity of the industry when demand picks up again, leaving New Zealand ill equipped to cope with the inevitable rise in demand,” Wilson says.

“It’s vital to secure jobs so when the tide turns, we have skilled tradespeople with the knowledge and expertise to build the high quality homes New Zealanders want to live in.

“Now that jobs in Middle Earth are secure, what about the housing sector?”

ENDS

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