Politics: Labour Treats Landlords With Contempt

Speaking at a property investors' meeting in Tïmaru today, Dr Newman accused the Labour government of running a campaign against private landlords.
"The Minister of Housing has run a crusade against landlords. Last year he hit the headlines with landlord stories such as `Bad landlords should be penalised', `Government to toughen up on landlords', `Crackdown on landlords likely'. He promised to bring in harsher penalties against landlords.
"Then in December the Minister tabled in Parliament the draconian Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill which introduces exemplary damages of up to $3,000 against landlords. That is top of prison sentences, up to $12,000 in fines that can be ordered by the Tenancy Tribunal, and up to $40,000 in fines from local authorities.
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