"Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce was being cute this morning when he said the Government would be collecting this data from October 1," Mr Little said.
"From that date all house buyers will have to have a New Zealand IRD number. That is not the same as a foreign buyers register because there is no guarantee the information will be available in a way that allows public scrutiny.
"A register would provide a searchable and up-to-date database which would inform the market and public debate. Without one, the Government will simply pick and choose data to support its false claim foreign speculators only account for 1 per cent of all house sales.
"The Government must also assure New Zealanders non-resident foreign buyers purchasing properties through companies or trusts will be required to disclose overseas interest in accordance with the Overseas Investment Act, which has a 25 per cent threshold."
Mr Little said Kiwi families wanted to know the effect offshore speculators were having on Auckland house prices.
"They are sick and tired of losing homes at auction to higher bidders down the end of a telephone line in another country.
"Chinese investment specialist David Mahon today said investors in China are amazed they can come to New Zealand on holiday and buy a house because they are unable to do that anywhere else.
"National needs to start listening to what the public want and set up a proper register, not another halfway measure which is becoming the trademark of this government."
The Green Party, meanwhile, has accused both Labour and National of playing politics and being "too afraid to do what's actually needed" and introduce a capital gains tax on all properties bar the family home.
Green co-leader Metiria Turei said today both parties were putting their short-term political interests ahead of the interests of younger Kiwis trying to buy their first home.
"We need to stop property sales to non-resident foreign buyers, but we also need a capital gains tax to dampen domestic speculation. "By stopping non-resident foreign buyers but retaining tax incentives that encourage Kiwis to lock up their savings in property, Labour is just displacing one problem with another."
Ms Turei said both main parties should stop "cherry picking" their housing policies based on short-term electoral goals.
"All political parties need policies to deal with both the supply and the demand sides of the problem, if they're interested in creating a fair housing market.
"When Auckland house prices are rising by 26 per cent a year, and the median house price is $755,000, it's time for politicians to stop worrying about polls and elections and start acting."
