5. Emergency Housing—Government Measures to Increase SupplyANDREW BAYLY (National—Hunua) to the Minister for Social HousingEmergency Housing—Government Measures to Increase Supply5. ANDREW BAYLY (National—Hunua) to the Minister for Social Housing: What announcements has she made about how the Government is supporting those in need of emergency housing?Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Housing): Today I announced that $33 million that was allocated in Budget 2016 to emergency housing will fund a total of 3032 new and existing emergency housing places around the country per year. These places will make a huge difference to people in extreme housing need and the targeted funding—the first of its kind I would like to say by any Government—means that providers can now focus on the work that they do instead of the funding that they need. Of those places 350 will be new and they will be available throughout the country.Andrew Bayly: Which regions will benefit from the new funding?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Over a third of the places—1260—will be in Auckland where there is the most need. Funding is also being given to 30 providers nationwide. For example the Bay of Plenty is getting 112 places a year 44 of which are new; and Northland is getting 364 172 of which are new. In addition the new Special Needs Grants which people do not have to pay back have become available since July to those who cannot access a place with an emergency housing provider.Phil Twyford: When she admits that only 350 of the places are new how can she claim that is any kind of adequate response to the 42000 Kiwis living in severe housing deprivation?Hon PAULA BENNETT: That is 350 places that we did not have before we did it and we are now looking at all of those gaps. As you have seen just this week we have announced the new motel that we are purchasing which the member has been criticising and we have got a whole lot of other new places that are coming through.Andrew Bayly: What else is the Government doing to increase the supply of both emergency and social housing?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Funding more than 3000 places a year that have not been funded before is a good place in this work programme. But we have got a much wider comprehensive work programme going on to get even more. I am looking at how else we can increase supply for emergency housing such as purchasing motels which is a model that we have used in Christchurch for some time. We are also of course ramping up the supply of permanent housing and seeing at least 15 new come on every week. Rt Hon Winston Peters: If the Minister had any idea as to what she was doing why has it taken over 4 months since the Budget to announce these sporadic measures in the hope that the massive problem that she has created will go away?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Quite frankly we made announcements for the first 16 providers within weeks of the Budget and now we have been working through those many of which have never been funded by the Government. So as I am sure the member would appreciate—he would want to make sure that we are spending taxpayers' money wisely and that is why we go through a comprehensive programme to ensure it. But that member might like to congratulate Kaitāia which has had a whole lot of new supply come in—35 places funded through this funding making a difference for those who really need it. Mr SPEAKER: Question number 6—[Interruption] Order! I might have to be asking one particular member to cease his interjections; they are now continuous.