The continued rise in the number of New Zealanders waiting for social housing shows the Government is all talk and no
plan when it comes to putting roofs over people’s heads, National’s Social Housing spokesperson Simon O’Connor says.
“The Government painted itself as having all the answers for people in need of social housing. But the reality is, the
waiting list has doubled under Labour and has grown to its highest number in at least a decade under its watch.
“More than 11,600 eligible households were on the housing register at the end of May.
“Rather than sitting back and trying to blame the problem on previous administrations, the Government needs to take
responsibility for the fact its policies are hurting the very New Zealanders they claim to want to help.
“Labour’s anti-landlord housing policies have pushed up rents $50 since they came into office, meaning rents are
increasing two and a half times faster than they were under National.
“The Government also scared off landlords at the bottom end of the market by raising the spectre of a capital gains tax
and pushing extra costs onto landlords.
“Labour’s decision to cancel tenancy reviews for public housing tenants has also seen less housing stock freed up.
“The growing problem speaks to how much of a distraction the disastrous KiwiBuild policy was. Rather than wasting time
trying to make his middle-class welfare work, Former Housing Minister Phil Twyford should have been focusing on the
bigger issue in front of him.
“It remains to be seen whether the new minister in charge of public housing, Kris Faafoi, will adopt Twyford’s approach
of blaming others for his failings, or he’ll actually roll up his sleeves and deliver policies that will help New
Zealanders in need.”