Phil Heatley MP
National Party Housing Spokesman

13 December 2007

Rinky-dink housing no substitute for good law

National Party Housing spokesman Phil Heatley says the Government’s plan to standardise low cost housing designs to get around costly Labour-imposed red tape is more cosmetic than practical.

“Not only does Labour plan to tell people seeking affordable homes where they can live, they’re now planning to tell New Zealanders what sort of house they can live in.”

Mr Heatley is responding to comments from Building and Construction Minister Shane Jones, who is asking officials to investigate ways to save those building their own homes from exorbitant regulatory costs.

“Rather than telling them what sort of houses they can live in, Labour's fist priority should be to reduce the compliance costs for everyone building their own home.

“This is a frank admission from Mr Jones that Labour’s Building Act isn’t working and is costing home owners big money. If the law isn’t working, it should be fixed.”

Mr Heatley says the Government’s plan to ‘standardise’ home designs is more nanny state from a Labour Government that refuses to deal with the real issues of housing affordability, which include land supply and regulatory costs.

“Local authorities have complained about the new Building Act, builders have complained about the new Building Act, and now the Minister has admitted it is loading unnecessary costs on to New Zealanders.

“This is coming from the same department which recently wasted more than $650,000 on a computer related to the Building Act, although the system never eventuated.

“Instead of seeking to control where and in what sort of house people can live in, Labour needs to focus on the big picture.”

ENDS

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