Amy Adams’ submission a sign of Govt in panic mode
Environment Minister Amy Adams’ submission on behalf of Cabinet to the Auckland Council’s public consultation on its
Unitary Plan is a sure sign the Government is in panic mode on the Auckland housing crisis, Labour’s Auckland Issues
spokesperson Phil Twyford says.
“This is an extraordinary step for a Minister to take.
“Auckland house prices are going up by $220 a day. Housing Minister Nick Smith hasn’t built a single new house since he
announced his special housing areas a year ago. Speculators are having a field day. And now apparently it’s all Auckland
Council’s fault.
“What is even more bizarre is that if the Government thinks Auckland’s Unitary Plan doesn’t deliver on its housing goals
there is an easy solution. The Government doesn’t need to write a submission to the Council or fight a war of words with
Auckland Mayor Len Brown. It can simply issue a National Policy Statement (NPS) on affordable housing. That is how the
Resource Management Act (RMA) is supposed to work.
“If the Government writes an NPS with directive language, it will compel Auckland Council to deliver a plan and make
consenting decisions that meet the objective of supplying affordable housing.
“The Government doesn’t need to micro-manage the Unitary Plan from Wellington or have poor old Amy Adams sit up late at
night writing submissions to Auckland Council’s planning committee. It should just use the RMA as it was intended.
“The next Labour-led Government will publish a National Policy Statement under the RMA on affordable housing – as well
as build 100,000 affordable starter homes, tax speculators, and reform monetary policy to deliver lower interest rates,”
Phil Twyford says.
ends