Smith’s stalemate lets Aucklanders down
new-zealand-labour-party
Tue Mar 26 2013 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Smith’s stalemate lets Aucklanders down
Tuesday, 26 March 2013, 11:45 am
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
Phil
TWYFORD
Housing Spokesperson
26 March 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT
Smith’s stalemate lets Aucklanders down
The stalemate between Nick Smith and the Auckland Council over the city’s Unitary Plan shows the Government’s housing policy is in disarray, says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford.
“The decision to set up a working party of government and council officials to ‘get on top’ of Auckland’s housing crisis is just another stalling tactic from a Minister with no new ideas and no plan.
“One minute Nick Smith is accusing Len Brown of killing the dreams of Aucklanders. The next he is saying he and Len are in the same paddock.
“This is a face-saving exercise for Nick Smith who has obviously been told to downplay his public brawling with the council.
“It is no wonder reports of the post-meeting press conference described awkwardness and confusion as the Mayor and Nick Smith tried to explain precisely what the ‘working party’ would be doing.
“Aucklanders will be disappointed. They now face six to nine weeks of political and bureaucratic chin-wagging on top of years of preparation and input into the Unitary Plan.
“The Government’s position of not giving legal effect to the Unitary Plan for three years was last night justified by Nick Smith as a way to ensure community engagement.
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“The thousands of Aucklanders who submitted on the Unitary Plan won’t see it that way. This has everything to do with what the Government wants – and very little to do with what Aucklanders want.
“Nick Smith has talked a big game when it comes to addressing Auckland’s housing supply, but his prescription is policy-lite. Just weeks ago he promised to break the ‘stranglehold’ of land supply. Now he has admitted that if Auckland's housing problems are allowed to get worse, they'll affect the whole country.
“One thing is for sure -- the Minister’s lack of leadership, vision and his inability to offer up any alternative solutions will see Auckland’s progress stalled, Phil Twyford said.
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