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Govt's pledge to reduce building costs slammed

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Tue, 24 May 2016, 3:33PM
Housing Minister Nick Smith. Photo / Nick Reed
Housing Minister Nick Smith. Photo / Nick Reed

Govt's pledge to reduce building costs slammed

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Tue, 24 May 2016, 3:33PM

The Housing Minister is standing by his claim in the Budget two years ago that the cost of building a house would be cheaper.

The Budget 2014 policy promised to make building houses $3,400 cheaper.

But Labour's housing spokesperson Phil Twyford said plasterboard alone has gone up by $3,700.

"That hasn't happened, actually it's got worse by more than the amount that they pledged that they would save."

Nick Smith said the tariffs on building supplies were removed, and if they hadn't been it would be even more expensive to build.

Dr Smith said there are some factors that can't be built in as the pressure goes on for more houses.

"There's a shortage of plumbers electricians, licence builders, drain-layers - all those skill sets, and not surprisingly those people are saying 'yep, I'm prepared to work the overtime, but you're going to have to charge me more."

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