Judith Collins - Housing and Urban Development

6 December 2018

Housing Minister Phil Twyford is in denial that his flagship KiwiBuild housing programme is falling apart, National’s Housing spokesperson Judith Collins says.

“Five Onehunga KiwiBuild apartments remain unsold, three months after the ballot first opened. A further four apartments are conditional and will be finalised on completion.

“Mr Twyford has also changed his tune on when the apartments will be completed. He had initially announced they would be finished by August next year. However, today he admitted the apartments at Onehunga won’t be completed until June 2020.

“This was a development that was announced with great fanfare, but the Minister’s proposals for the apartments didn’t add up and the developer had to increase the size of the studios.

“Mr Twyford was also forced to embarrassingly admit no houses have been sold in Te Kauwhata, with no prospective buyers interested in completing the sales and purchase process. Further, the Wanaka development has only sold four houses.

“The Minister has signed up to buy $2 billion worth of property but has fewer than 300 interested buyers. The entire project could stall immediately if he is unable to sell the houses he has bought.

“It’s difficult for first home buyers to feel confident about buying into the risky KiwiBuild scheme, especially with a Minister who has made a name for himself by not doing his due diligence.

“First home buyers want assurances their new home will tick all the boxes and is a secure investment. Mr Twyford is letting them down and it’s a clear to New Zealanders he is struggling to deliver on his many housing promises.

“It’s crystal clear the KiwiBuild programme isn’t working with houses throughout the country being left ownerless. Mr Twyford is desperately trying to convince New Zealand that KiwiBuild is the answer to our housing woes, but it’s obvious no one’s buying it.”

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