Bishop says no legal power to pause fast-tracked housing as four mayors demand halt

Housing Minister Chris Bishop says he cannot legally pause fast-tracked housing developments without a law change he is not proposing. Mayors of Auckland, Queenstown, Waimakariri and Selwyn want a halt, citing developments consented before water, road and treatment infrastructure is funded or built. Bishop says the fast-track system was designed for out-of-sequence development and works as intended.