Arena Williams

Arena Williams, Labour MP for Manurewa and the party's construction spokesperson, brings a unique perspective shaped by her time as general counsel at HLC (Hobsonville Land Company), where she was directly involved in the Hobsonville Point development. She argues the building sector is facing its "biggest headwinds since the GFC" and that government should act as "ballast" for the sector in downturns, instead, the current government cut 200 school builds. The conversation covers joint and several liability (stuck since 1991), the brain drain of young apprentices trained under Labour's scheme now leaving for overseas, and the RMA reform debate. Labour has written to National proposing to work together on reforms that "meet in the middle," and Arena pushes back on PM Christopher Luxon's "culture of no" framing, arguing the RMA enables community input and National's approach is "reactionary."

Key Topics Discussed

• Biggest headwinds since the GFC. sector facing severe downturn
• Government as "ballast". should keep public builds going in downturns; instead 200 school builds were cut
• $5,500/sqm build cost. confirms the same statistic as Minister Penk in Ep 49
• Joint and several liability. council liability, leaky buildings crisis cost NZ economy enormously, reform stuck since 1991
• Brain drain. young people trained under Labour's apprenticeship boost scheme now leaving for overseas
• Bipartisan consensus. Labour has written to National proposing to work together on removing barriers to building
• RMA reform. needed, but National "wasted years of work" from Labour's Randerson review; PM Luxon's "culture of no" framing disputed
• Hobsonville Point. example of density done well with government-enabled building, transport, and placemaking; institutional builders partnering with government for density at scale
• Family legacy. dad was a city councillor for Manurewa
• Career path. law and commerce degrees, Chapman Tripp, general counsel for HLC

Notable Quotes

The sector is facing its "biggest headwinds since the GFC."

Government should act as "ballast" for the sector in downturns.

National "wasted years of work" from Labour's Randerson review on RMA reform.

Labour has written to National proposing reforms that "meet in the middle."

Guest Background

Arena Williams is a Labour MP representing Manurewa and serving as Labour's construction spokesperson. She has law and commerce degrees, worked at Chapman Tripp, and was general counsel for HLC (Hobsonville Land Company), where she was involved in the Hobsonville Point development. Her family has a legacy of public service, her father was a city councillor for the area.