Labour vows early decision on homes

Anna Lorck

The Labour Party has promised a decision on Te Aranga Marae's bid to acquire 316 Housing New Zealand homes in Flaxmere within six months of being elected.

Tukituki Labour candidate Anna Lorck yesterday announced Labour's commitment to give a decision on the marae's Flaxmere Housing Project within six months of being elected.

Flaxmere councillor Henare O'Keefe, who has battled to acquire the houses for six years, was pleased with Ms Lorck's announcement.

He was devastated by news this month the Government was putting six of the properties up for sale, without consultation.

"We were given verbal assurance that we are the preferred social housing provider. We were told five to six years ago the homes were not for sale."

Tukituki MP Craig Foss said National had enabled community organisations to be able to take a stake in social housing but "proposals have to stack up financially".

Ms Lorck said while out campaigning she had encountered people living in state houses who were afraid their homes would be put up for sale.

"Putting more state houses on the market shows it [the Government] is going head-on with plans to sell 600 of Hastings' 1200 state houses," she said.

Mr Foss said the Government did not have plans to sell 600 of the region's state houses.

"I would be surprised if a Cunliffe/Norman/Dotcom government would achieve anything positive at all in six months."