Red-tape rhetoric no substitute for action

John Key has served Kiwis up another helping of seconds in his ‘scene-setting’ speech today says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Annette King.

“The Prime Minister has no concept of the urgency of the housing crisis.

“Re-announcing an intention to work with councils and cut red tape will do nothing to buoy the hundreds of thousands of Kiwis locked out of the housing market.

“Bandying around images of property developers champing at the bit to invest in affordable housing is pure nonsense, while criticising other parties policies and dishing out veiled threats to local authorities won’t get families into their first home either.

“Labour’s housing policy is well-developed, innovative and timely. It offers regional and local government a real plan for partnership with central government to address housing affordability head-on.

“New Zealanders understand there are issues with land supply, with the Resource Management Act and with the resource consent process – the Productivity Commission told us that almost a year ago. What we are all waiting for now is action.

“Entry-level homes aren’t going to build themselves. New Zealanders want a government that gets stuck in and gets on with the job,” Annette King said.