Government advertises for head of new Kiwibuild Unit to kick off plans for 100,000 new homes over the next decade

I wonder if there'll be any performance measures. You know, like if you can't get 10,000 houses built by the end of year 2 you're out.

Perhaps it will be more like "Oh, only 3746 houses were built in the last year? We'll put a brave face on it. You'll be going to spend more time with your family or some such. Oh and here's a large sum of money."

Ralph Norris seems like a likely candidate and he has connections in the building industry.

Be warned, if Chuck Norris applies, it may be a non-DE-plume.

I was gonna apply but thought better of it. I think small houses are the answer...but our build costs are outrageous.

Answering to any Government Department, any politician, 'No Thanks'

They only think big and know how to spend up large.

Plus arguing with the Councils for Planning Permission....could not afford the fees...anyway...unless giving away freebees.

Plus who would want to live in a sensible sized house or appartments for that matter....we only think big...and luv Mcmansions in NZ.

They have a few problems: the 100,000 target won't be achieved, they need a developer who will be in a position that they don't need a job, and who would want to work for MBIE? MBIE get everything wrong with respect to regulations so if the person they hire makes a genuine attempt to hit the target they will be interfered with by career government employees trying to cover their ass.

Anyone who thinks the target can be hit with houses is living in a dream world.

I think their job will be to terrorise the councils and who better than a internal appointment from the MBIE.

I see competition for the land where the 1,000,000,000 trees are to be planted.

Dictator is correct.
They won’t get within a bulls roar of 100,000 in 10 years as they will not be in Government in 3 years time.
Why do they need to advertise for such a position when they should be able to accommodate it within in their own ranks as they have said it is achievable.
They know that it is Not feasible to get enough land in Auckland to build thousands of houses within close proximatey to Auckland without the transport issues.
They state 600k to be affordable and I am wondering if they do build these box’s whether there will be much uptake for them, as there would be bugger all capital gain on terraced box’s I can tell you!

1. Use Public Works Act to acquire golf courses. Waste of prime locations and mostly enjoyed by people whom are part of the problem.
2. With the current red tape is difficult to get anywhere. Amend the building code to accept some overseas standards. Revoke over the top safety regulations. Reduce the scope of council consents. For god's sake remove the tariff on non-GIB plasterboard.
3. Frankly, kiwis are crap at building anything. So hire some experts from overseas who're experienced in modern factory methods. Get them to design warm and cheap houses to and setup the factories. Bulk purchase products from the likes of Knauf or PlyGem.

Bob Jones?
"Commercially savvy, you will be a seasoned professional who has a deep appreciation of the commercial (particularly, housing and land development) environment,"

At the risk of being censored I nominate Alan Johnson, Philippa Howden - Chapman and Shamubeel Eaqub the authors of "housing stock take". Clearly the government think they know something about housing. Two of them are even landlords in their own name or at least they own multiple properties the web tells me.
Bring it on. ps I actually made a bit of money out of a previous failed Labour government initiative to buy up land for the same purpose. It sat empty for years and I managed to sell the houses built by my builder client on some of the sections.
What chance has some poor dud based in Wellington got of achieving anything in Auckland. Everyone in Auckland knows they are on a different planet to the rest of the country. The unit needs to be based in Auckland where the work is.

Rightly so we are skeptical however with a large public purse and right people to lay the groundwork I would think alot can be accomplished. To my way of thinking the biggest hurdles will be the usual suspects that can be overcome by a blitzkrieg approach which Labour can almost only achieve through sheer political will. Already they appear to be appointing the agencies through which ultimately public policy outcomes can be implemented rather than spending countless resource trying to reform. By simply having a very precise target, as long as they don’t deviate, the necessary changes to ensure supply and delivery can be effected in a somewhat steamroller approach. Once there is critical mass the thing will start to drive itself. Personally I think only Labour has the opportunity to do this both as the context in which it can occur has no parallel and their mandate is really based more on ‘we are damned if we don’t rather than damned if we do’ hence let’s just do this and remain unshakeably focused to that end no matter what the more intermediate view and immediate consequences at the electorate level. It’ll be an interesting case study over the coming years of pragmatism and expediency for sure.

I suspect they’ll be looking at what was achieved in the 80’s, obviously not as regards those objectives but how it was achieved. The mission is clearly signalled so incremental management by stealth and guile is not required.