"The Housing Minister is rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic while New Zealanders drown in higher housing costs",
says ACT Leader David Seymour.
“Phil Twyford today launched a review of tenancy laws that is well-meaning but will have little effect on the lives of
renters.
Proposed changes like ‘better equipping tenants and landlords to reach agreement about pets’ sound nice, but what Kiwis
really need is more affordable housing.
The fundamental problem with our housing market is that the Resource Management Act prevents land from being freed up
for development. This artificial scarcity pushes up the price of land and housing.
The Government must immediately begin work on reforming or replacing the vandalous RMA which, according to one official report, could be adding $530,000 to cost of the average Auckland house.
The poorest New Zealanders spend 54 per cent of their income on housing – up from 27 per cent before the RMA was passed.
The Government was elected to solve the housing crisis. 10 months in they have been a massive disappointment.
Kiwis desperately need more affordable housing. Cutting the red tape that is strangling our housing market is the only
long-term fix."