29525 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Housing

29525 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Housing: Has he assessed whether the Government’s commitment to low debt-to-GDP ratios has limited councils’ ability to fund infrastructure for housing growth, if not, why not?

Hon Chris Bishop: Councils are responsible for funding and financing council-owned infrastructure. Central Government’s commitment to low debt-to-GDP ratios does not affect councils’ ability to fund and finance this infrastructure. Most councils borrow from the Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA). To support growth and increase debt available for fund infrastructure, the LGFA have reviewed their debt covenants for growth councils, increasing these from 280% debt-to-revenue to 350%. The LFGA has also allowed councils to borrow more for water.