Carter welcomes select committee housing inquiry
Housing Minister Chris Carter today welcomed a parliamentary select committee inquiry into housing affordability.
"The government has a great deal of work underway exploring the factors that have lifted house prices in the past five years, and the best way of ensuring an enhanced supply of affordable homes for first-time buyers," Mr Carter said.
"If the Commerce Select Committee wants to complement this work with its own inquiry then I welcome that decision. This is an issue the government regards as very important and the wider the debate about it, the better. I will provide officials from Housing New Zealand and the Department of Building and Housing to assist the select committee with its endeavours.
"However, I would urge MPs to ensure the inquiry does not become a smokescreen for promoting National Party policies around urban development that have nothing to do with providing affordable homes to young people, and everything to do with pay back to commercial interests in the property sector."
"The government has a great deal of work underway exploring the factors that have lifted house prices in the past five years, and the best way of ensuring an enhanced supply of affordable homes for first-time buyers," Mr Carter said.
"If the Commerce Select Committee wants to complement this work with its own inquiry then I welcome that decision. This is an issue the government regards as very important and the wider the debate about it, the better. I will provide officials from Housing New Zealand and the Department of Building and Housing to assist the select committee with its endeavours.
"However, I would urge MPs to ensure the inquiry does not become a smokescreen for promoting National Party policies around urban development that have nothing to do with providing affordable homes to young people, and everything to do with pay back to commercial interests in the property sector."