June 21, 2013
Mana scheme no match for Labour
Labour leader David Shearer says he’s not sure Mana’s housing scheme will work, but Labour’s will.
Mana yesterday announced a plan to build 10,000 houses a year by using government capital to give low interest no deposit loans to first time homebuyers, but leader Hone Harawira said he had not costed the plan.
Housing Minister Nick Smith says it will cost $3 billion a year and the country can’t afford it.
Mr Shearer says Labour has its own plan for affordable housing.
"We’ve costed it all out. We believe we can do it. You build the houses, you sell them, the money then goes back into the pot to build another 10,000 houses so you have a revolving fund and from that you will be able to fund the apprenticeships and the training that will enable our young people to get jobs and get skills. That's how we want to do it," he says.
Mr Shearer says housing has emerged as a major issue in the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by-election because the poor housing available impacts on people’s health, welfare and financial security.
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