Rt Hon Helen Clark
Prime Minister

16 October 2008 Media Statement

Labour expands home insulation retrofit programme – National wants to axe it

Prime Minister Helen Clark today visited a Waikato family with a powerful story to tell about the health benefits and energy cost savings of insulating their home.

“Labour is expanding the retrofitting of New Zealand homes to make them warmer, drier, and healthier through a $1 billion programme over fifteen years. National, on the other hand, want to axe this programme despite the huge benefits of retrofitting our uninsulated homes.

“Before this Waikato family’s home was insulated five years ago, their son with a serious medical condition was often sick, and his mother could not return to work. Their power bills were high because they were trying to heat an uninsulated house which was cold and damp.

“Thanks to the retrofit provided by a local charitable trust, their house was fitted with underfloor and ceiling insulation, and with draught proofing. Their home is now far warmer and drier, their son is far healthier, and his mother has been able to return to the workforce to open her own marketing business.

“This family’s home was insulated thanks to the Huntly Energy Efficiency Trust, which raised sponsorship for the project. Labour is committed to expanding retrofits for New Zealand homes and under existing policy, this family would now qualify for an interest-free loan to pay for the retrofit of their house.

“Then, in August, our Labour-led Government announced the establishment of a $1 billion household energy efficiency programme to expand the retrofit programme much further to make even more homes warmer and drier through insulation and clean heating devices. The family I have visited today was very concerned at National’s lack of support for the policy.

“The benefits of making our homes drier and warmer are huge. Across New Zealand retrofits are delivering lower power bills, healthier and warmer homes, and reduced demand on the power supply.

“National’s condemnation of the new home insulation fund is indeed proof that they cannot be trusted to help New Zealanders make their homes warmer, drier, and healthier, or to address climate change,” Helen Clark said.

ENDS

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