Primer #3 for 2026: Magical thinking reigns supreme on housing

National & Labour plough on with magical thinking on solving housing supply & demand crises. Both refuse to use Crown balance sheet to borrow to fund infrastructure & tax capital gains on housing land

Labour and National have both repeatedly tried and failed to get councils and new home buyers to fund the infrastructure for new houses and associated transport, rather than use the Crown’s balance sheet. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The Kākā

Here’s the third of six primers for the election year ahead, with one each day of this first week back, including:

1. Mond…