Brownlee GerryHon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam): I would have thought that when the Green member spoke to this Estimate there might be some attempt to fill out the missing parts of the KiwiBuild reset announced recently. It just confirms what a total retreat it is by the Government from providing affordable homes in New Zealand. Where the member spoke about the $400 million allocated for some kind of subsidy on deposits for new homebuyers let's just look at that for a minute. Well if that was to be shared on a 5 percent basis across the country for people buying KiwiBuild homes or homes that are inside the KiwiBuild cap as I think we heard would be the case in the House this afternoon then that would be around about 8000 people or couples or families that might get a loan over the period of time that that $400 million is committed for. But here's the problem—here's the problem. The annual cost of that loan added to a mortgage even though that part's interest free would mean that up to $500000 capital commitment—$800-plus a week to buy the home. Now tell us here how that is affordable for any family in this country that is considered to be at the lower end of society people who are doing great work out there families that are contributing a lot to the country but not earning as higher wages as they might like having to rely on things like KiwiBuild which they presumably voted for because they were excited by that policy only to find out that even after the reset even after the failure of the 100000 houses in 10 years—that's 10000 a year; in actual fact in 18 months they got 258 done and I'll come to that in a minute because many of those aren't sold. Even after all of that belief and a reset they find that the best they can expect is to stand in line to get a subsidy on a mortgage or on the deposit for a mortgage that becomes a loan albeit interest-free but still have to come up with about $800 a week to afford the home particularly if they've got more than a couple of kids and they're looking to buy a three-bedroom home where the upper cap is $650000. These are big hurdles for people that the Labour Government said they would overcome. They haven't. Is there anywhere in the reset or anywhere in any of the Estimates that might suggest they're dealing with the issue of land supply? I spoke before about what had to be done in Canterbury. It works. It makes a difference. But over there there's this sort of philosophical view that the Government must not do that and that the Government must do all of the building or it could negotiate with the private sector to get building done in the Government's name even though we've seen a complete failure of that concept through the KiwiBuild programme. There are developers out there right now who own some of those 258 homes that have been built so far that have got themselves protected by a $200 million underwrite from the Government. So even though the market is saying these homes are not what's required not what people want the Government has said to the developers Don't worry; right here in the Budget documents there's $200 million for the Government to subsidise or guarantee or underwrite the KiwiBuild price." The joke is that many of those houses were built prior to the scheme even starting.Then there was the claim in the House today by the housing Minister that—what was it—25000 first-home buyers bought houses under their Government. Under what scheme? Under HomeStart. Well when did that start? Not in the last 18 months—let me make that clear to the House. It's a previous Government initiative. There was also the claim that this Government has built more public housing than any other Government in New Zealand's history. When did all those start? The vast majority—the vast majority—were during the term of the last Government.Then we come to this: "We're making houses more healthy. We're giving people a better environment to live in." Well why is public housing exempt—exempt—from the—Marama Davidson: It's not exempt Gerry. They're not exempt Gerry. Come on.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: —insulation rules that are now being faced by the private sector? The member for the Green Party screws her face up and says that's not true. It is true. Public sector housing does not have to comply the same as private sector housing does and I think that is an utter disgrace. Then of course we've got the heating expenses due to come—a good thing. Social housing should comply as well."