PAULA BENNETT, NATIONAL PARTY

JIN AN, LABOUR PARTY

Unaffordable housing is one of the main issues affecting the Upper Harbour electorate, Jin An said. An said Labour has a comprehensive package to address the housing crisis that includes: building more affordable houses, social housing, cracking down on speculation, reserving local housing stock and Labour also has a healthy homes policy for rental properties to have a minimum standard of quality.

‘‘No one wants to have mushrooms growing out of their carpet!,’’ she said.

An said her party would build 100,000 affordable houses in first 10 years in Government, while providing apprenticeship schemes through this.

Labour’s Auckland-wide rapid-transit-network which will ultimately allow light rail link from North Shore to the Airport, facilitate cross-town travel by public transport and provide public transport all the way up to Orewa, An said.

She believes the extension of a busway to the Hibiscus Coast and express bus lane alongside SH16, and extensions of west Auckland rail networks, will benefit the area. We have one of the highest rates of home owners with a mortgage, Paula Bennett said. Over the next 10 years, National would build 34,000 social, affordable and market homes in Auckland under the Crown Building Project banner, Bennett said.

‘‘That’s the equivalent of three and a half houses for every street and will see 8300 old, rundown houses replaced.’’

Three thousand houses are planned under the scheme and 1000 are already built.

National’s introduction of the Welcome Home Loans and HomeStart packages support people into their first homes.

People are spending too much time in traffic, Bennett said.

‘‘We’ve already seen what a huge difference the Waterview Tunnel has made for a lot of Aucklanders.’’

National’s transport announcements of a busway on the NorthWestern motorway, is a huge $835m investment that will be incredibly significant for our community, she said.

The Northern Corridor Improvement project (NCI) would also help the city meet increased traffic demand.

JAMES GOODHUE, THE GREEN PARTY

The Green Party will ensure all rental properties be sufficiently insulated, ventilated and dry, through a rental Warrant of Fitness scheme that forces rental property owners to comply to a minimum standard, James Goodhue said. ‘‘Families also need more security when renting. That’s why the Green Party would amend rental legislation to provide families with greater security of tenure. Families that are renting must have the same opportunities that owners do to put down roots in communities.’’

Transport infrastructure is the area that requires the most attention, Goodhue said. ‘‘What we’re really lacking in Upper Harbour is a public transport network that is reliable, frequent, on time, inexpensive, safe and convenient.’’

There is a dire need for a more equitable spread of funding, Goodhue said ‘‘Currently, the vast majority of transport funding is funnelled into roading projects which simply encourages more vehicles on roads and causes further congestion issues. Funding should be spread more evenly over a variety of transport alternatives.’’

JANE JOHNSTON, NEW ZEALAND FIRST

Housing is a priority for NZ First and parts of Upper Harbour are at the frontline of urban development, Jane Johnston said.

‘‘Home ownership is the right of every New Zealand family. So we will implement reforms to make building a home more affordable, and to enable new developments to be delivered more efficiently.’’

Johnston said NZ First intend to build more state homes, faster and for a wider variety of circumstances.

‘‘Our policies intend to ensure the full array of services needed to support newly establishing communities are delivered in a timely way.’’ NZ First is committed to an efficient transportation network that would see an integrated rail, road and public transport system, Johnston said.

‘‘We don’t support light rail between the CBD and the airport, because that is a half measure, when what Auckland needs is a modern heavy rail system like what Wellington and Sydney have.’’

NZ First policies would see more funds returned from Government to the region, to address infrastructure deficits, Johnston said.