10. Question No. 10—HousingNICOLA WILLIS (National) to the Minister of HousingQuestion No. 10—Housing10. NICOLA WILLIS (National) to the Minister of Housing: How many additional KiwiBuild homes if any will be built in the delayed Monark housing development as a result of her decision last week to increase the Government underwrite for that project from $19 million to $40 million and will she extend taxpayer-backed underwrites to other private housing developments at risk of delay or failure?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing)) on behalf of the Minister of Housing: On behalf of the Minister of Housing to the first part of the question 44 KiwiBuild houses will be secured at the Monark development. The underwrite that was approved covers 49 market apartments. I understand that there are only two out of that number that remain unsold. In the event that any homes are unsold at the completion of the development these homes will be available for KiwiBuild purchases at KiwiBuild prices. To the second part of the question at this stage no.Nicola Willis: Was it prudent and responsible to double the taxpayer underwrite for a private development that has been beset by problems and delays without even requiring any additional KiwiBuild houses get built?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: As was referenced by the Minister in an oral question on 28 May in relation to this issue this is an exceptional circumstance by which current funding of KiwiBuild projects no longer have the same types of issues as were faced by Monark which led to the underwrite.Nicola Willis: Will she rule out increasing the taxpayer underwrite for the other KiwiBuild developments that like Monark have also had their completion dates delayed?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: As far as I can ascertain based on a briefing I received today no other KiwiBuild project has the same circumstances as the Monark development and there has been no request for an underwrite.Nicola Willis: Is the Government now underwriting non-KiwiBuild homes in the Monark development and if so is it now Government policy to provide underwrites to private developers building homes sold on the open market?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: I'm not sure what wasn't clear in the first two answers but what I can say in addition to the answers that the Minister provided on 28 May is that 49 market apartments have been underwritten in the current Monark development due to exceptional circumstances.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Rubbish!Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: That underwrote provision doesn't apply to any current KiwiBuild projects in front of the Government. What it does allow however knowing that the ground has been cleared and the project is ready to be commenced—Hon Gerry Brownlee: Sorting out the donors.Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: —is that more people will have access to affordable KiwiBuild homes within that project. Hon Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think Mr Brownlee's interjection is one that I certainly take objection to.SPEAKER: One was clearly out of order. The member will withdraw and apologise.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I withdraw and apologise.SPEAKER: Further supplementary.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Keep an eye on the returns.Hon Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. SPEAKER: I'm just contemplating the member's future in the House today. The allegation that the member has made is a very serious one and it's been taken regularly very seriously by the House when raised in the House. I will require the member to withdraw and apologise but make it absolutely clear that on this matter today he is on his last warning.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I withdraw and apologise.Nicola Willis: Can other property developers apply to the Government for taxpayer underwrites on at-risk housing developments; and if so where do they sign up?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: I do not have responsibility for how other property developers conduct their business.