Kedgley calls for Wellington housing help

Wellington Green MP Sue Kedgley is calling on the Government to begin urgent negotiations with the Wellington City Council to enable it to move its tenants from market-based rents to income-based rents.

"We applaud the Government's move to buy up Auckland City's housing stock, rather than see it sold off. However, in the interests of fairness and equity the Housing Minister should start talking to the Wellington City Council about its housing situation.

"It is totally unfair that council tenants in some parts of New Zealand are forced to pay market rents while the rents for tenants in other parts of the country are based on their income.

"There should be a single, consistent and fair policy for state and council housing throughout the country," said Ms Kedgley. "We believe local government has a responsibility to provide housing to meet social needs, and that central Government should be doing everything to facilitate that."

© Scoop Media