10. Prime Minister—StatementsJAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime MinisterPrime Minister—Statements10. JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that I want to be a Prime Minister that New Zealanders feel they can approach. Not just some of them but all."?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH (Prime Minister): Yes.James Shaw: What then will he say to Amanda Claire Richards who has approached us to ask him whether he will be making climate change more or less of a priority than John Key did?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: The Government policy will remain the same and that is that climate change is an important area of policy. New Zealand has—actually partly because of that member's party back in the early 2000s—the most comprehensive emissions trading system in the world. We believe that is a powerful and effective tool.James Shaw: What will he say to New Zealanders like Paul Axford who wants to know why New Zealanders have to compete with non-resident investors in the housing market?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I would say to him particularly if he is a Greens supporter that he should encourage—Hon Annette King: It doesn't matter whom he supports.Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: —no—that he should encourage his party to support legislation that enables the building of more houses because in fact the Green Party policy is to restrict the building of houses. That is the one thing sure to push housing prices up and we know that because that is exactly what has happened in Auckland twice in the last 15 years. I would hope that Mr Axford will encourage the Green Party to make more sensible policy.James Shaw: What does he say to Anita Patterson who has lived in her earthquake-damaged home for 6 winters fighting the Earthquake Commission and her insurance company and who wants to know when her home will be repaired or rebuilt?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I think I would say to her that that must be an incredibly frustrating and at times very miserable experience one which she has shared with a number of people in Christchurch. I wish that I could tell her when her claim will be settled but I have no idea of the details of it. But I would hope that as the insurance process comes to its end they are finding the most complex cases. For many people who are just worn out by the process getting to a solution is proving to be something of a challenge. We hope that she is able to get a solution.James Shaw: Why should New Zealanders who are concerned about climate change or the housing crisis or rebuilding their homes believe that he will be able to fix these issues as Prime Minister when he did not in his 8 years as finance Minister?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I think the member knows enough about climate change to know that it is a long-term issue and will not be fixed next month last month or even next year. With regard to housing I can assure the member that there has been a large amount of activity which is starting to bear fruit in fact. The Government building programme is now picking up momentum and we will be building thousands of houses over coming years. The success of the Auckland Unitary Plan has a high impact and if that member would support more changes to legislation to enable more housing to be built then we could go faster."