Thursday, 15 April 2021, 12:43 pm
The Government’s admission that it’s considering
forcing councils to open up more land for housing in the
near future is the right idea, but New Zealanders need a
Government that will take action rather than just think
about it, Leader of the Opposition Judith Collins
says.
“It’s nice to see the Environment Minister
thinking out loud about bringing forward parts of the
National Policy Statement on Urban Development. It’s an
acknowledgement that my Member’s Bill to introduce
emergency housing powers is the right approach.”
Ms
Collins’ draft legislation would immediately require all
Housing Minister Megan Woods said after talks with local councils, it was clear investment in critical but costly infrastructure - such as roads and pipes - was seriously lacking, and no one had been prepared to step in and fill the expensive gap.
That s why the multibillion-dollar fund is being introduced, she said, to boost infrastructure on Government-owned land and in areas where councils can demonstrate both housing need and willingness for momentum to increase new-builds.
But details are scarce. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development website has an A4 PDF document available to read. Dr Woods had to issue a correction in Parliament after saying there was a substantial body of work about it available online.
Community Scoop » Homebuyers Need Action, Not Political Pondering scoop.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from scoop.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Won t solve the problem : Ardern pours cold water on National s housing proposal msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.