Latest news with #KieranMcAnulty
RNZ News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Opposition slams Kāinga Ora decision to scrap public housing builds
Labour's Kieran McAnulty said cancelling the builds made no sense, with homelessness rising. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty has condemned the government's decision to halt thousands of planned state-housing builds. State housing provider Kāinga Ora has scrapped hundreds of developments that would have delivered nearly 3500 homes and will sell a fifth of its vacant land. The agency says the move will save up to $220 million. McAnulty said it made no sense to cancel these builds, while homelessness was rising. He said the housing crisis in New Zealand continued to worsen and this was a time the government should build more Kāinga Ora homes. "Homelessness is increasing at unprecedented levels and 15,000 construction worker have lost their jobs since this government came in," said McAnulty. "People will see this for exactly what it is - the National Party willing to promise all sorts to get elected, with no intention of following up. "Nicola Willis pledged a 1000 per year net increase in social housing in Auckland, but they're not going to do that. The only way they do that is if they count the houses the previous government funded. "Chris Bishop and Tama Potaka said they would build more houses than the previous Labour government - that would have been a decades-long record. Now they're selling houses and going backwards in some regions." Green Party housing spokesperson Tabitha Paul claimed the cost of not housing people was far higher than providing the housing they needed. "We know the wait list for public housing across the country is really high and homelessness is increase, because we're seeing it more on our streets," she said. "Kāinga Ora taking the narrow view that this might save them a few dollars will cost them more in their health fees, their justice fees and all the other ways the housing crisis manifests, when people are not properly housed." Housing Minister Chris Bishop ordered Kāinga Ora to deliver a turnaround plan that would ensure financial sustainability. The agency's plan will see it refocus as a landlord, rather than a developer, and the number of houses it owned would stabilise from 2026. Chief executive Matt Crockett said Kāinga Ora reviewed more than 460 social housing projects to ensure it was getting the best value for money and supplying houses in the areas of greatest need. "These reviews were essential to ensuring we only progress new housing projects that make commercial sense and that we sell land which is surplus to our requirements, so we can get on a more financially sustainable footing,'' he said. "Our reviews have highlighted an abnormally high number of projects and land holdings that no longer make sense for Kāinga Ora, if we want to get ourselves in a better financial position." The agency decided 212 projects that would have delivered 3479 homes would not proceed, because they did not stack up financially or were in the wrong locations. Another 254 projects would continue, building more than 1800 new homes. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Government, Opposition scrap over common infrastructure ground
Chris Bishop sparred with Labour's Kieran McAnulty over which infrastructure projects they could agree on. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has committed to working directly with the Opposition, when putting together the Government's response to the 30-year infrastructure plan due out next week. He says that co-operation comes on the proviso that infrastructure decisions are always political in nature - and it did not stop the discussion from repeatedly descending into a fingerpointing tit-for-tat over which government was to blame for what. Labour housing, infrastructure and public investment spokesperson Kieran McAnulty kicked off the scrutiny week select committee hearing on Thursday afternoon, making an effort to "start on a positive note" on how bipartisanship could work for infrastructure policy, suggesting that would provide more certainty to the sector. "I agree," Bishop said. "That's part of the reason why we campaigned on a 30-year national infrastructure plan being developed in Government." The plan has been developed independently by the Infrastructure Commission since late 2023 and is due to be launched at Parliament next week, with the Government required to respond within six months. Bishop said he planned a Parliamentary debate, so all the political parties' views could be included in that response, but McAnulty wanted more. "At the moment, frankly, the attitude of some ministers of bipartisanship is, 'We'll work with you, if you agree with us', and I don't think that's good enough," he said, garnering an emphatic "yeah" from Green MP Julie Anne Genter. Bishop said completely depoliticising infrastructure was not possible, which was to be expected in a democracy. "You know, if we all agreed, this would be a fairly boring place," he said. McAnulty agreed with, an agreement to disagree. "We think some of the things you've done are stupid... what I would like to see is a commitment," he said. "There's an opportunity there to work with the other side to actually identify where there is broad agreement and include that in your response." More than just a debate, he wanted the response to include an explanation of which infrastructure projects the government and opposition parties agreed on. Bishop : "I'm happy to commit to that now. Just making the obvious point ... we may not always agree. "For example, you guys have got to figure out where you're at on PPPs, for example, because you've had about nine different positions . McAnulty: "We know where we're at with that." Bishop: "You sure?" McAnulty: "Yes, I am actually... this is one of the things that I'm actually trying to avoid, right, is that we can't help ourselves. "This is the game we're in. We talk about bipartisanship, but we also take every opportunity to have a crack at each other." Bishop: "Well, you just said some of the stuff we've done was stupid." McAnulty: "Exactly my point, we can't help ourselves." Labour's Kieran McAnulty Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Bishop said parties could agree on a lot, when it came to infrastructure, and "sometimes there's a bit more heat than light in this debate". McAnulty said he did not think the public would know that. The minister pressed on, deferring to Infrastructure Commission chief executive Geoff Cooper to explain the projects expected across the country from about 110 organisations, including all but 14 of the country's councils. The result was a list showing investment worth $206 billion, broken down by region and sector, which Cooper said started to paint a much clearer picture of investment. "The point is to have... almost a single source of truth for what's in the pipeline," Bishop said. Committee chair Andy Foster - a former Wellington mayor - said the information should be included in councils' long-term plans and they should be contributing. Bishop had an easy solution. "Well, if they don't do it, we can just mandate that they do it - but I'd rather not, because that takes time and money," he said. "I'd rather they just do it." "Enough of those mandates for councils," interjected Labour local government spokesperson Tangi Utikere. "We make them do all sorts of things for the right reasons and this would be the same thing," Bishop responded. Andy Foster Photo: VNP / Phil Smith While the first half hour was not entirely bonhomie, unicorns and rainbows, the verbal finger pointing was surely on show in the second half of Bishop's appearance. McAnulty asked if the minister accepted cancelling projects across successive governments had affected sector confidence. "Depends exactly what you're talking about," Bishop said. "I accept that, after 2017, the radical change in direction of the National Land Transport Plan at the time had a significant impact." "So you're willing to say that one government cancelled projects that had an effect, but you're not willing to concede that you guys cancelling projects has?" McAnulty responded. Bishop said it showed the limits of bipartisanship. "Our view was that they're the wrong projects for the country, he said. "Depends which one, but generally too expensive, not good value for money, in some cases undeliverable. "It was the right thing to do to say, 'You know what, we're actually just not going to proceed with that'." Genter said many council projects were also defunded under the coalition and the iReX ferry replacement could have been rescoped, rather than dumped. Predictably, this kicked off a four-minute cancellation-measuring contest - which government cancelled more projects? Who cancelled more projects that were already contracted? "You can have an intention to do something, it doesn't mean it will end up happening," Bishop concluded - or seemed to. "The last government lived in fiscal fantasy land." "Only because your government made a decision to give billions of dollars to landlords," Genter fired back. The Greens Julie Anne Genter Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver Foster was eager to move on, asking Bishop about whether Kāinga Ora had managed to bring social housing build costs down to the same level as private developers - a topic well traversed in the last scrutiny week in December . The minister did not have the latest numbers, "because this is not the vote Housing and Urban Development estimates", but the agency was making "good progress" and would report back on that publicly. He and Utikere then argued some more over the roughly $250,000 allocated for cancellation of the ferries contract - whether that was part of Bishop's responsibilities - with Bishop saying it belonged to Rail Minister Winston Peters and Utikere saying, when they'd asked Peters, he'd referred it to Bishop. Utikere: "And the minister doesn't even know ... that's very disappointing." Bishop: "Yes. So's your behaviour." Utikere : "No, it's not actually, minister, my behaviour is about scrutinising the executive - that is our responsibility. "It is disappointing that you don't know the answer to just over a quarter of a billion dollars' worth of taxpayers money that has been set aside in your Budget." Foster stepped in again, suggesting Bishop's answer was that it was best for his ministerial staff to provide an answer and they did. Treasury deputy secretary Leilani Frew said negotiations for the ferry contract exit were still continuing, as well as wind-down costs. The discussion soon wound down too - after a series of patsy questions and a discussion about the causes of 15,000 fewer people being employed in construction. Bishop argued it was an expected side-effect of bringing down the official cash rate, which would - in turn - have the biggest effect on reinvigorating the sector, McAnulty argued housing could be an avenue for stimulating growth. In the end, the public got a commitment to bipartisanship. Whether it lasts remains to be seen, but investors watching this scrappy select committee may be hesitant to bet the house on it. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Government Is Full Of It On Homelessness
The Government continues to deny its policies are contributing to homelessness in New Zealand, despite being told they are. 'Frontline housing providers have told Government Ministers that there are more people on the streets as a result of its policies,' Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. 'They are stopping people from accessing emergency housing, which is resulting in more people sleeping rough. Even victims of domestic violence are being denied, which providers have been raising for some time. 'Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka admitted in today's hearing that he only acted on the scandal of victims of domestic violence being denied emergency housing after Labour raised it in Parliament. 'The Minister of Housing Chris Bishop continues to say the housing register is not an accurate reflection of need, yet he uses it to justify a budget that neglects housing. 'They're denying there's a growing number of homeless people while claiming they're making a difference based on what they admit is inaccurate data. All the while dismissing frontline providers who all say it is an issue that is getting much worse. 'Housing is a human right, yet there are more people on the streets under National. The fact they won't admit that shows they're full of it,' Kieran McAnulty said.
Scoop
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Manawatū Gorge Replacement Opens Toll-Free
Press Release – New Zealand Labour Party We had to campaign hard against a National Government that wanted to slap a toll on locals who had already waited a long time for this road to open,' says Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere. Thanks to a successful community-led campaign backed by Labour, Lower North Island locals are today celebrating the toll-free opening of Te Ahu a Turanga – Manawatū Tararua Highway. Local Labour MPs Tangi Utikere and Kieran McAnulty wore their Toll-Free Tararua t-shirts to celebrate the opening of the new road without the National Government's proposed toll. 'It is such a relief for locals to have the Manawatū Tararua Highway open today, after years of work went in to replace the old Manawatū Gorge,' Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. 'We had to campaign hard against a National Government that wanted to slap a toll on locals who had already waited a long time for this road to open. 'That was greedy and uncalled for, given the road had already been funded by Labour. 'It took a huge effort by locals, and strong support from people in surrounding areas who stood against National's toll. 'It's a beautiful new road, and I look forward to using it regularly to drive between the mighty electorates of Palmerston North and Wairarapa,' Tangi Utikere said.
Scoop
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Manawatū Gorge Replacement Opens Toll-Free
Thanks to a successful community-led campaign backed by Labour, Lower North Island locals are today celebrating the toll-free opening of Te Ahu a Turanga – Manawatū Tararua Highway. Local Labour MPs Tangi Utikere and Kieran McAnulty wore their Toll-Free Tararua t-shirts to celebrate the opening of the new road without the National Government's proposed toll. 'It is such a relief for locals to have the Manawatū Tararua Highway open today, after years of work went in to replace the old Manawatū Gorge,' Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. 'We had to campaign hard against a National Government that wanted to slap a toll on locals who had already waited a long time for this road to open. 'That was greedy and uncalled for, given the road had already been funded by Labour. 'It took a huge effort by locals, and strong support from people in surrounding areas who stood against National's toll. 'It's a beautiful new road, and I look forward to using it regularly to drive between the mighty electorates of Palmerston North and Wairarapa,' Tangi Utikere said.
