Twyford Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTwyford Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 06 June 2013. Volume:690;Page:10853. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]5.PHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū) to theMinister of Housing: Does he stand by all his statements?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister of Housing): I particularly stand by my statement thanking the member for putting up hoardings of me all over Auckland. I am disappointed not to have had a response to my offer to recycle them for my next Nelson campaign. I also stand by my other statements.Phil Twyford: Does he stand by his comment in theNew Zealand Herald that Aucklanders need to “accept lower quality developments if they want affordable housing”?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I have the full statement here. I said this: “We need to have an upfront discussion about the balance between affordability and quality. Affordability has been given too little weight.” This statement is based on the authoritative analysis by the Productivity Commission which pointed out that over the last decade we have been building houses in only the very top quartile over $700000. If we are to deliver more affordable homes for New Zealanders then we actually need to change that balance.Phil Twyford: What does he say to Gary Taylor of the Environmental Defence Society who says that the bill “is a serious assault on our planning framework which can only lead to … slums.”?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The greatest threat to Aucklanders on low incomes is having house prices continue to go up by 13 percent per year. That is why this Government is committed to a comprehensive programme to improve the affordability of housing for all Aucklanders.Phil Twyford: Can he point to the provision in the bill that will prevent special housing areas with lower quality standards being imposed on residents of established suburbs in Auckland who are already fearful of more relaxed development rules?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Let me make it quite plain that the Government’s objective is both affordable and quality homes. But it is not possible to have a situation where for instance on the rural fringes of towns including my own in Nelson local neighbourhoods are insisting on very large sections very minimum sizes wanting to exclude for instance social housing and to somehow pretend that this Parliament is going to get a solution to the challenges that we have around affordable housing.Phil Twyford: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question asked the Minister to point to the provision in the bill that would prevent the situation of slums occurring. He did not address the question.Mr SPEAKER: Could the Minister please address that part of the question.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The special housing bill—the member is happy to read it; it is before a select committee—allows areas to go ahead only where there is the agreement of both the council and the Government. I reassure the member—Phil Twyford: You can just override the council.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Well indeed. This Government is committed to providing additional housing and I assure the member that we are focused on both quality and affordability.Phil Twyford: If a leading commentator says that his bill will cause slums if the Auckland Council says it will not sign his housing accord and if two-thirds of New Zealanders say the Government is not doing enough to promote affordable housing is it not time to rethink his policy?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Not at all. If I look at the 9-year record of the previous Government 90 percent of the houses that were built under the previous Labour Government were over $650000.Hon Tony Ryall: What? Ninety percent?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Ninety percent of the new houses built during Labour’s period were for only the very top income group. This is a Government that is committed to building affordable homes for all New Zealanders—thus the reforms and the programme that we have before the House.