1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,560 Speaker 1: Afternoon. The government's done a u turn and dropped its 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: plan to have up to two million new houses built 3 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 1: in Auckland. The number is now down to one point 4 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: six million. The Housing Ministry is Chris Bishop. 5 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 2: High Bish good afternoon. 6 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:12,399 Speaker 1: Are you happy with this backdown? 7 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. I think it's a much more politically sustainable plan 8 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 2: for Auckland, and I think it will land quite well. 9 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 2: And it makes sure that growth is in the right areas, 10 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:23,799 Speaker 2: right around city railroad stations, around rapid transit and the CBD. 11 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 2: You know, that's what most people, not everyone, but most 12 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 2: people think is where we should be building in Auckland. 13 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 2: And it means more around those areas and less in 14 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 2: the suburbs. And that means that we can take people 15 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 2: with us on the journey of building more housing in Auckland, 16 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 2: which again I think most people think we need to do. 17 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 2: So it's going to be more politically sustainable and it 18 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 2: makes sure that grows in the right areas. And the 19 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 2: fundamental point I want to make clear to Auckland is 20 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 2: that we've listened to them. You know, very strong feedback 21 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,560 Speaker 2: coming through that the plan was a bit unbalanced. We've 22 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 2: made sure that we've acted, We've listened and there's going 23 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 2: to be changes as a result. 24 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: Why didn't you do this in the first place. 25 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 2: Well, Auckland Council asked us to essentially do the plan 26 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 2: that you know what we did, so Plan Change one twenty. 27 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 2: They said, look, we'll withdraw the Plan change seventy eight, 28 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 2: will replace it with a new one. We'll meet the 29 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 2: same amount of housing capacity. So we said, okay, fair enough, 30 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 2: off you go. And the feedback coming through is that 31 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 2: that was the wrong outcome for Auckland. And so we've 32 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 2: made sure that and that's what government's for, right, that's 33 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 2: ultimately why we have democracy. And so we've listened and 34 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:20,919 Speaker 2: we've acted. 35 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: So leafy suburbs, Heritage listed suburbs no longer affected. 36 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 2: That will be over to Auckland, but they now have 37 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,319 Speaker 2: much more flexibility to make changes around those areas. You know, 38 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 2: the growth is going to be centered around train stations 39 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 2: and around the CBD and around town centers and it'll 40 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:40,039 Speaker 2: be over to Auckland and the council and the communities 41 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 2: if they wish to take out growth out of the suburbs, 42 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 2: then they can do that. The strong feedback coming through 43 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:46,960 Speaker 2: is that that's what they want to do so they 44 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 2: have the ability to do that. They basically didn't before. 45 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 2: We're making sure that they can do that. 46 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: But if I mean, if let's say that Auckland Council 47 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: says yep, we're going to we're going to keep on 48 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: going with density in Mount Eden, isn't that going to 49 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: blow back on you? So surely you've sought an assurance 50 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: from them that that, in fact, the leafy suburbs are out. 51 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 2: We've asked the council to give us a provisional summary 52 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 2: of what they would do once if we legislate. So 53 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 2: they're going to do that in the next little while, 54 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 2: and you know, we want to have a look at 55 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 2: that as a government and just make sure that you 56 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 2: know it's it's going to be something that will land. Okay, 57 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 2: it's so we've asked for a summary and though we 58 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 2: you know, we've asked for them to give that to us. 59 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: Okay, legislatre. But so fair to say this was by 60 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,359 Speaker 1: you know, if you're a concerned Auckland in a nice 61 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,519 Speaker 1: suburb and a heritage listed suburb, this is not completely 62 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:34,799 Speaker 1: over yet. There is more to go. 63 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 2: Oh, there's a process to go through. That's definitely true. 64 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 2: So that we're asking the Council to give us a 65 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 2: provisional summary and then we're going to legislate and then 66 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 2: the Plan change process itself's got awee way to run. 67 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 2: It's not finished all twenty twenty seven. So but however, 68 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 2: there will also be an opportunity for the Council very 69 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 2: quickly to withdraw various different parts from the Plan change 70 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:57,679 Speaker 2: and exempt those areas and just go back to the 71 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 2: Auckland Unitary Plan, so that that will be overthrow the 72 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 2: Council to do very quickly, and I think that will 73 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 2: provide a lot of finality in certainty for people. 74 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: All right, be thanks very much, Chris Bishop, Housing Minister. 75 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 2: For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive. 76 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,399 Speaker 1: Listen live to news Talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, 77 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.