Government departments overseeing the KiwiBuild project responding to questions from Farmers Weekly all said there will be no requirement to use wool carpets and upholstery because of the higher price.
New Zealand First announced on July 10 last year a policy to put wool carpets back on the floors of government and campaigned on the policy at last year’s election.
But a spokesman for party leader Winston Peters said it did not survive the coalition talks with the Labour Party.
“It didn’t make it through coalition talks, however, it remains a NZ First policy and NZ First will continue to advocate for the NZ wool industry where possible.”
The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment is overseeing KiwiBuild but a spokesman said it will not prescribe wool carpets, insulation and upholstery be used.
“KiwiBuild is not being prescriptive about what carpets and internal upholstery should be in KiwiBuild homes.
“That is the prerogative of developers.”
Refresh Renovations, a nationwide home renovation company, said wool carpets sell for $50 to $70 a square metre, solution dyed nylon $30 to $50, polypropylene $25 and wool-synthetic blends $30 to $55.
The NZ First policy was for all government buildings to use natural fibre carpets and insulation instead of synthetic and in announcing the policy last July said the Ministry for Social Development was buying synthetic carpet.
Peters said from January 2011 to January 2017 Parliament had installed 25% more synthetic carpet than wool.
A Housing NZ spokesman said the department decided in 2011 to switch to synthetic carpets because of the price difference and extended warranties.
In the year ended June 30 2017 it bought about 488,000 square metres of synthetic carpet.
The spokesman could not say what the price differential was between wool and synthetic carpets.
“Housing NZ is always open to approaches from service and product suppliers and people can register for this on the appropriate government procurement websites.”
