Slumming It With Labour: Home-buy And Community Partnerships Must Stay

"Labour's comments that the Home-Buy scheme and Community Partnerships, like the one between the HNZ and the Fanau Centre, are "undesirable" are shocking", Housing Minister Tony Ryall said today.

Labour's Housing Spokesperson, Graham Kelly, made the comments to the Porirua News .

"Home-Buy and Community Partnerships are key components of the Government's Housing plan.

"Latest HNZ figures show that 2,600 kiwi mums and dads have bought their HNZ home through the Home-Buy programme.

"These families want to get ahead. They want to break the often inter-generational cycle of dependence on the State. These 2,600 families now own a major asset that is likely to grow in value and will provide a solid base for their future security.

"Private home ownership has also been proven to strengthen and revitalise communities.

"The families who qualify for Home-Buy would have little or no chance of buying a home without this scheme.

"This Government also believes strongly in local solutions to local issues, through its Community Partnerships programme.

"We believe experienced community organisations, such as the Fanau Centre, can provide better solutions that Wellington bureaucrats.

"Homes under both of these initiatives will either remain available for renting by low-income families or will be purchased by low-income families who otherwise would have continued to rent from HNZ.

"Not one home is lost to low-income families as a result of these programmes.