KiwiBuild, the Government's ambitious scheme to build 100,000 homes in 10 years, has been a toxic failure, according to The AM Show host Duncan Garner.
On Thursday morning, Garner let rip on the scheme after Phil Twyford, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, admitted on Wednesday KiwiBuild targets would likely not be met.
- KiwiBuild houses might not end up with first-home buyers
- KiwiBuild: Government 'recalibrating' targets for under-fire housing scheme
- Housing Minister Phil Twyford admits KiwiBuild will fall well short of first year target
He said not even half of the 1000 homes promised for Kiwis by July would be built.
While Mr Twyford told Newshub he was "confident" more than 300 houses would be constructed, he wouldn't commit to building 500 homes by the July deadline.
Garner said few had ever believed the Government's ambitious programme would see its targets hit, but were "crushed for such cynical dissent" by Mr Twyford, who "did not like what we had to say".
"It's called reality, you won't get there, you've flopped Phil... In any other world, Phil Twyford would be dog-tucker, out".
So far, only 33 KiwiBuild houses have been completed - and even those aren't selling.
"The policy has become so toxic that some of the houses can't be sold, they haven't been sold, people don't want them, they aren't affordable, they're not in the right places," said Garner.
"What seemed so promising has turned so poisonous."
He said Mr Twyford "used to walk with a swagger in his step" and while he would likely be "protected for now", Garner reckoned the policy was simply flushing taxpayer money away.
"Freeze this policy, rethink it, even ditch it, it's been changed so much anyway who knows what it even stands for now."
On Thursday, Finance Minister Grant Robertson told The AM Show the Government was "recalibrating" their expectations for the scheme and refused to commit to keeping the 100,000 house target.
Newshub.
