ACT leader David Seymour today questioned the Housing Minister in Parliament, beginning with a light-hearted query into what Phil Twyford thought was his own most effective measure to increase housing supply in New Zealand.
It was met with a tongue-in-cheek reply by Mr Twyford, "There are so many".
"It is difficult to single-out one most effective measure."
He then said one that stood out was "standing up for a 25 home Housing New Zealand development on Bamff Avenue and calling out that Member's stigmatising of state home tenants".
Mr Seymour sent a letter to residents prior to the Epsom HNZ development about a public meeting concerned over the pressure on infrastructure.
The letter also stated: "There is also a chance that some of the future residents will have social and mental health issues who will need to have special support measures in place."
Mr Twyford told NZ Herald Mr Seymour was "fuelling people's worst prejudices".
"Is the Member's performance answering these questions today any clue as to why any the new dwelling consents have not increased at all since he's been Minister, any more than the trend he inherited?" Mr Seymour asked.
Mr Twyford said he had inherited a "market that is consistently under powered and has failed to meet demand", and he said the Government now have a "far more ambitious agenda than was very attempted under the last nine years".
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