Labour accuses National of empty promises on housing

Labour has accused the opposition of offering nothing more than an empty promise with no additional funding or timelines for delivery.

National’s Associate Housing spokesman Tama Potaka said National would increase the number of social housing places funded by the Government and work much more closely with Community Housing Providers (CHPs) and other providers.

But Labour’s housing spokeswoman Megan Woods said "National hasn't committed a single extra cent to build more houses, but somehow thinks they can get more out of Labour's existing pool of money.”

Woods said the National Party failed to set any specific targets for the number of additional homes they intend to deliver or provide a timeline for their delivery.

Woods said the current government had already delivered 13,000 additional public houses “the highest number built by any government since the 1950s.”

"We've worked closely with Community Housing Providers to achieve this goal, increasing their funding from $95 million in 2016/17 under National to $535 million in 2021/22 under Labour."

Woods recalled the National Party's previous tenure in government when they sold off public houses, resulting in 1,500 fewer homes than when they took office.

"National has presented no costings, no timelines, and, as a result, no credibility either," Megan Woods concluded.