Map criticism lacks merit - Labour

  • 15/07/2016
Map criticism lacks merit - Labour

Andrew Little has called the Government untrustworthy and hypocritical for its criticism of Labour's interactive housing map.

The map collates information from QV, Statistics New Zealand and other Government sources to claim the housing crisis affects 98 percent of the country.

However, both Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett and Environment Minister Nick Smith have come out swinging saying the maps are misinformed and lacking in credibility.

"Half the information is not correct, they haven't factored in interest rates and how low they are and people's ability to pay off mortgages," Ms Bennett told the Paul Henry programme.

The comments followed a statement from Dr Smith yesterday calling the website "try-hard".

"Labour's website is riddled with errors and misinformation, with the homeownership rates differing from those provided at the last Census."

Labour leader Andrew Little refutes both allegations, telling Newshub that National was in a desperate bid to deny the truth.

"This is classic National. The information we have put up is accurate as far as what the Government provided, and it tells the picture about housing right across the whole country."

"If they think any aspect is wrong, then they should say what it is. But if all they have got is generalised comment then they can be safely ignored."

Dr Smith also referred to Labour's time in power, calling the party out for playing politics and forgetting the past.

"The claim that 98 percent of New Zealand has a housing crisis because house price increases have exceeded wage increases is not credible. This definition would mean almost every region of New Zealand was in crisis for all of Labour's nine years in government, during which house prices rose 102 percent and wages 44 percent."

But Mr Little believes Labour's opponents are just fumbling for a rebuttal.

"The fact that Nick Smith has to go back to a Government that was last in power more than eight years ago tells you that they have no answers to the problems today."

Newshub.