10. Emergency Housing—Demand and PlacesCARMEL SEPULONI (Labour—Kelston) to the Associate Minister for Social HousingEmergency Housing—Demand and Places10. CARMEL SEPULONI (Labour—Kelston) to the Associate Minister for Social Housing: Is the demand for New Zealanders seeking emergency accommodation increasing or decreasing?Hon ALFRED NGARO (Associate Minister for Social Housing): Demand for emergency housing is increasing because such assistance is now available. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am just trying to get bit of silence and a fair go for the member.Carmel Sepuloni: Is he concerned that the number of approved emergency housing special needs grants applications has again increased from 8860 in the December 2016 quarter to 9218 in the March 2017 quarter?Hon ALFRED NGARO: We know that we are making a difference because it is about more than providing a roof when someone is living in transitional accommodation. We are really clear that the fact is that the demand for emergency accommodation will increase over the winter months. We know that less desirable living situations become untenable—events such as World Masters Games. The member cannot have it both ways—both to criticise the Government for not having the support and then to criticise the Government for spending too much.Carmel Sepuloni: Can he guarantee that the Government has planned for enough emergency housing places across the regions for New Zealanders in 2017 in light of the growing demand for emergency housing support?Hon ALFRED NGARO: The Government has set its intentions out quite clearly. It expects to secure 2150 places by the end of the year. I understand that the ministry expects to have around 1300 places available by June with a further 230 places expected to come online in early July. With those places in play we will be able to support 5600 families.Carmel Sepuloni: What does he say to the 196 families in the central North Island who needed emergency accommodation between January and March of this year but had access to only 14 Government emergency housing places?Hon ALFRED NGARO: I would what you call continue to support—and we have put out some press releases just of late to talk about the demands which we have been meeting; in fact two motels over in Hawke's Bay just last week in order to meet those demands. I have actually been out through to the areas working with providers in those areas that are providing that accommodation to meet those needs in Tauranga and in Rotorua.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Are foreign workers who are being exploited by political parties in substandard accommodation eligible for emergency housing?Mr SPEAKER: Order! I do not believe that that is a question that is in order. It is a question that is clearly designed to attack the Opposition and that is not the purpose of using the Government's supplementary questions. [Interruption] Order!Carmel Sepuloni: Given that the number of emergency housing grants has doubled in the Taranaki region since December 2016 will the Minister be pushing for the Marfell State housing development which was dropped by this Government to be immediately resumed?Hon ALFRED NGARO: I am not aware of that particular project that the member has been mentioning but what I can say to the member is that this Government has the intention—the first Government—to in the 2016 Budget have $350 million more for housing support to support 8600 families over this period of time.Carmel Sepuloni: What written communications has he received from regional Work and Income offices that emergency housing demand is far exceeding the number of emergency housing places that are available?Hon ALFRED NGARO: I have not personally received any written communication or correspondence to my office.