7. Question No. 7—Housing (Public Housing)NICOLA WILLIS (National) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing)Question No. 7—Housing (Public Housing)7. NICOLA WILLIS (National) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing): Why has the State house waiting list increased from 5844 in September 2017 to 22521 in December 2020 and by what date will it reduce back to 2017 levels?Hon PEENI HENARE (Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing)) on behalf of the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing): The waiting list reflects the need for public housing in our community because this Government has placed a strong emphasis on people coming forward and telling us if they need housing support. This has not always been the case prior to September 2017. I will not be committing to a specific date; instead the Government is ensuring that we bring on more supply through the largest public housing build programme in a generation. Eighteen thousand additional public and transitional homes will be delivered by 2024.Nicola Willis: Well how does he reconcile that answer with his answer—SPEAKER: She".Nicola Willis: —with her answer to parliamentary written question No. 17664 which shows that nothing substantive has changed in the criteria the Ministry of Social Development used to assess whether someone is eligible for a State house or not?Hon PEENI HENARE: On behalf of the Minister we've made it clear that for people who need additional support for housing—and in particular in a time like we've seen over the past 12 months through COVID-19 the need for us to support people who have been homeless into transitional and temporary housing has actually seen us support more people which is why we encourage them to come forward. That has had an impact on the list and we accept that there's a challenge in front of us which is why we have announced that 18000 homes by the year 2024 is our target.Nicola Willis: Does she think that escalating house prices up $50000 in one month alone are having an impact on the State house waiting list?Hon PEENI HENARE: On behalf of the Minister we will all accept that such a steep increase in house prices has had a significant impact on the housing market.Nicola Willis: Does the Minister think that escalating rents up $110 a week under Labour has contributed to the State house waiting list?Hon PEENI HENARE: On behalf of the Minister we've made it clear that with particular reference to rents we are making our best efforts to ensure that renters are supported in renting in houses. Unlike the last Government who made it even harder for renters to get into houses we've made sure we support them through a number of mechanisms such as legislation.Nicola Willis: Can she confirm the waiting list is now growing five times as fast as the Government is building houses and is this as good as it gets under Labour?Hon PEENI HENARE: On behalf of the Minister it's easy to get better given the low standard that the National-led Government had set for housing. We've already said and I'll repeat it: 18000 homes by the year 2024.Nicola Willis: Can she confirm the Government is now spending $1 million a day putting people up in motels and when will that Minister see that number reduced?SPEAKER: Order! That doesn't relate to the primary question. Question No. 8 Mark Cameron.Nicola Willis: Point of order Mr Speaker. The primary question was about the State house waiting list. People on the State house waiting list have to live somewhere and so the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing) has responsibility for that. They're living in motels.SPEAKER: The member will resume her seat. It was a relatively easy question to relate to the primary question; the member didn't."