Prime Minister John Key has been out on the campaign trail pushing National's new policy of cash grants for first-home buyers.
But the latest 3 News-Reid Research poll shows National has a real weakness when it comes to housing.
National is promising to pay one-off grants to help first-home buyers into places, up to $20,000 if they go for a new build.
Kelsey Wassenaar and her husband are eligible, but after nine months of hunting she questions Mr Key's sales pitch.
"It deals with part of the problem, but it doesn't deal with the whole problem," she says.
What she has seen is investors, many she believes to be foreign, outbidding and shutting them out.
"Yeah, it sometimes seems that way. I wouldn't know what their situations are but you can guess. Or even if they're not foreign investors and they're Kiwi investors, it's still not fair."
In the latest 3 News poll, 77 percent of voters said yes, there should be stricter controls placed on foreign ownership of land and housing, and just 20 percent said no.
Even two-thirds of Mr Key's own voters, 65 percent, want stricter controls.
"That sounds like a good idea, just to have some checks and balances to stop people from buying so many properties when us first-home buyers can't even buy one," says Ms Wassenaar. "That would make a huge difference."
Mr Key says it won't. The attitude to foreign ownership is clear on the biggest potential deal - Lochinver Station.
Asked if the Government should approve it, 68 percent said no, decline it, and only 25 percent said yes. A clear majority of National voters, 53 percent, say no sale.
The housing problem has no easy fix.
The Dirty Politics scandal knocked Lochinver and foreign ownership off the agenda. But the latest poll shows it is a real vulnerability for National, especially when doubled down and merged with the housing crisis.
It is populist and the Opposition is trying to cash in.
Mr Key revealed a big play today, hinting there will be an announcement about tax cuts. It may seem confusing, as just last week under direct questioning Finance Minister Bill English ruled out a tax package and failed to mention any announcement.
It's all about language though and in politician speak, a tax "package" is technically different from an "announcement". It's still a promise; it just has fewer details.
There is a word for this - it's "tricky".
3 News
source: newshub archive
