Whitburn: Labour's housing policies better

The Government announced the first in a series of special housing areas in Auckland this week, in which development will be able to be fast-tracked.

But Whitburn said it would take too long to get anything moving in those areas. “They’re not going to make enough difference.”

People were being encouraged to live a long way out of the city, he said. “They’re condemning people to hours in their cars every day, which is not good for the environment, either.”

National has also revealed it will give first-home buyers assistance with their deposits if they buy a state house that is no longer needed in regional New Zealand. But critics have said that does nothing to help Auckland's problems.

Whitburn said Labour’s policies, such as the proposal to build tens of thousands of new, affordable houses within its first years in power, were stronger ideas. Labour also wants to exempt first-home buyers from the LVR speed limits.

“Labour’s on top with housing at the moment. National needs to do a lot of work in Auckland just to keep the city ticking over.”