Trans-Tasman on Housing

Trans-Tasman reports:

Opposition parties thought they had found the perfect stick to beat up the Govt on social housing needs, after TV3’s The Nation disclosed Aust charity Horizon Housing could be in the market to buy up to 500 state houses. It had those elements (profits going overseas, privatising state assets, “ foreign” buyers for taxpayer-funded housing stock on the cheap) which politicians regard as hot-button issues for voters. But Govt Ministers batted away the attacks, pointing out the Aust charity would be subject to the community housing regulatory authority, and then coming up with a quote from the Deputy PM of Aust (when the Labor Govt was in office) declaring Horizon Housing to be “an amazing organisation” doing a great job in Queensland.

It is only NZ Labour that has this strange hatred of the private sector. Other Labour parties focus on results and effectiveness. but NZ Labour instinctively think anything private sector has little or no role in providing Government funded services.

To rub it in the PM then cited comments from Labour’s housing spokesman Phil Twyford his party wanted to see a larger, more capable, empowered community housing sector. 

They want a larger community housing sector yet oppose all the policies designed to achieve that.

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