The Labour Party says if elected, it would build 10,000 affordable homes in Canterbury in the next four years.
Labour's Auckland spokesperson Phil Twyford Photo: RNZ
Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford announced the policy in Christchurch on Friday, saying the Government's current stance that a broken market will fix itself is not good enough.
The Canterbury earthquakes in 2011 destroyed over 11,000 homes. But Mr Twyford says in three-and-a-half years, only 1000 of the 12,000 to 15,000 homes required to fix the city's housing crisis have been built.
Mr Twyford said a Labour government would build the 10,000 homes. Jobs would be contracted out to private companies and the homes then sold to first-time buyers.
Each home would be sold for between $350,000 and $400,000.
Housing Minister Nick Smith disputed Labour's figures as incorrect on Friday, saying his show that 3500 homes have been built, 50,000 repaired and a large number have received emergency modifications.
The general election is on 20 September.
