National pledges to insulate all state housing

John Key today announced National's housing policy. Photo / Mark Mitchell

National has pledged to insulate every state house by the end of 2013.

Prime Minister John Key today announced the party's housing policy, which includes continued investment in better state housing and insulating every state home built before 1978, when insulation became standard.

"This will ensure thousands of New Zealand families have a brighter future through living in warmer, drier, and healthier homes," Mr Key said.

Funding to insulate the remaining 4600 state homes built before 1978 would be allocated from within Housing New Zealand's existing budget.

More than 133,000 privately-owned homes have also been retrofitted with insulation under the National government's $347 million insulation and clean heating scheme, which subsides up to $1300 of the cost of insulating homes built before 2000.

Mr Key today said his party was committed to retrofitting at least another 50,000 homes.

Housing spokesman Phil Heatley said National would continue to build better housing and more effectively manage its existing assets.

"Over the past three years, National has increased the overall state housing portfolio by more than 1000 homes and completed upgrades to tens of thousands of other homes, including insulation, clean heating and essential maintenance."

Mr Heatley said many state houses were run down, in the wrong areas, unsuitably sized and not going to the families most in need when National took office.

"We will continue to reverse that situation," he said.

National would support a suspension policy that would make tenants who were evicted for illegal behaviour ineligible for another state house for up to a year.

"Neighbouring state house tenants and those in privately owned homes deserve peaceful, crime-free streets," Mr Heatley said.

Over the past three years, 400 tenants have been moved on from state housing for vandalism, fraud and other anti-social behaviour, freeing up houses for those in genuine need.

"We will continue to ensure there is a no-nonsense approach to those few state housing tenants acting outside the law, and will crack down on any illegal behaviour."

- APNZ