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The government has so far flattered to deceive on housing and climate change.
This week, the National Party released more detail of its housing policy, saying it would give councils a $50,000 grant for each extra house they consented above their five-year average.
The idea is to incentivise local authorities to fast-track residential building by paying for the infrastructure the increase in housing would need. But the money will come from the government’s already announced $3.8 billion Housing Acceleration Fund. So, it looks as though National will not spend more money. It has simply spelled out the conditions under which the money would be handed out.
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.
RNZ
The Housing Minister says there are so many different figures being thrown around - from 28,000 to 200,000 - that it s impossible to put a specific figure on it (video first published in February 2021).
Nearing the two-year mark as Housing Minister, Megan Woods speaks to Sam Sachdeva about learning from the mistakes of KiwiBuild, opposition plans to fix the housing crisis, and whether the Government is leaving renters behind. In New Zealand, the health portfolio has served as the traditional hospital pass for a Cabinet minister, thanks to the myriad complexities of the system. It has by no means become easier - but these days, the title of Housing Minister may just pip to the post of most challenging role, as Megan Woods can testify.