Seymour apologises for understating housing costs

act-new-zealand

Wed Feb 17 2016 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Seymour apologises for understating housing costs

Wednesday, 17 February 2016, 2:03 pm
Press Release: ACT New Zealand

Seymour apologises for understating housing costs

Press release: ACT New Zealand
February 17, 2016. 1:20pm

“Yesterday in question time I sought to draw attention to how much worse housing costs are than university costs for young Kiwis. But after checking the latest data, it’s even worse than I thought,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“The average student loan balance for tertiary leavers is about $14,000. The price of housing over the last three years (the typical university study period) has increased by $78,000. So costs incurred by house price inflation are exceeding that of student debt by 5.6 times.

“It’s good to see Andrew Little highlighting this issue in his first question in the House today, but it’s also telling that Labour are so bereft of ideas of their own, they have to use ACT’s talking points to attack the Government.

“It’s fitting, because Labour certainly don’t have ideas of their own about youth issues. If Labour really wanted to stand up for young people they would get stuck into National’s weak attempt at RMA reform.

“Not only is the RMA’s effect on house prices far more financially painful than student debt, but it affects every young person – not just those studying.”

ENDS

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