Labour has broken its own record for the consecutive number of weeks people spend in emergency housing, National’s Housing spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

The latest data shows that since Labour came to office, the average number of consecutive weeks stay in emergency housing has increased from three weeks in the quarter ending December 2017 to 21 weeks in the quarter ending June 2022.

The average number of consecutive weeks stay has gone up nearly every quarter since December 2017.

“Emergency housing started as a short-term measure but has now become a permanent and institutionalised part of government machinery, with thousands of Kiwis stuck in squalor and misery for longer because of Labour’s failed housing policies.

“Since Labour came to office, more than $1 billion has been spent housing people in motels, the state house waitlist has increased by more than 20,000 to 26,000 applicants, and there has been a quadrupling in the number of people living in cars and in tents.

“New Zealand families are spending longer and longer in emergency housing, unable to escape. As of April this year, 63 households had been in emergency housing for more than two years. I am told that there are children born in emergency housing motels who have had their second and third birthdays there.

“This Government seems to have no idea what to do about this economic and social disaster. Despite claims they would solve the housing crisis, Labour has an abysmal track record for building public homes. After accounting for those demolished, Kāinga Ora has built just 2,600 homes since Labour came to office. The Prime Minister’s spin that Labour has built 10,000 homes is just that – spin.

“Labour claimed KiwiBuild would be the answer to New Zealand’s housing crisis, but after four years, just 1,386 homes have been built.

“Labour’s housing policies have failed Kiwis. In particular, they have failed the nearly 4,500 adults and 4,000 children stuck in emergency housing for months on end.

“It is time for new ideas and new solutions; both of which National is ready to deliver”.

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