'Broken' housing market a 'national disgrace': Chris Bishop

Housing minister Chris Bishop will likely be the final decision-maker on the contentious Wellington district plan change process. (Image: NZME)

Oliver Lewis

Tue, 27 Feb 2024

Housing minister Chris Bishop will take over decision-making powers on disputed district plan changes from the environment minister.Bishop made the announcement on Tuesday during a scene-setting speech on housing to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, in which he laid out the argument that unaffordable housing was at the heart of numerous societal ills facing New Zealand.NZ had the largest inflation-adjusted increase in house prices in the OECD over the past 30 years, with a 256% spike in prices since 2000 compared to 64% in the United States a...

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