4. Homelessness—Cross-party InquiryMARAMA DAVIDSON (Green) to the Minister for Social HousingHomelessness—Cross-party Inquiry4. MARAMA DAVIDSON (Green) to the Minister for Social Housing: Ka tū a ia i runga i te mana o tā Te Pirimia kōrero e pā ana ki tētahi pakirehua i te take kore whare a te hunga Tōrangapū-whakawhitinga the Government has done a lot of work in the area of homelessness"?[Does she stand by the Prime Minister's statement regarding the cross-party inquiry into homelessness that "the Government has done a lot of work in the area of homelessness"?]Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Housing): Āe.Marama Davidson: How can she say that her Government is doing enough when at our inquiry at Te Puea Marae yesterday we had a packed wharenui with person after person all day long saying that what the Government is doing is just not enough?Hon PAULA BENNETT: I can say that actually this Government is taking the issues around social housing emergency housing and homelessness very very seriously to the extent that we actually did the work that the members are doing now over 12 months ago. That was part of the review that this Government led. From that we saw $2.5 million going into social housing just last year alone then an increase of more than $41 million through Budget 2016. Since then I have announced another $9 million going into the Housing First initiative and equally around better tenant outcomes some more money for that wraparound service. Equally of course we have seen the changes to the special-needs grant where we can help people with motels so they no longer have to pay that back. So we have an extensive work plan around emergency housing. We are a long way through it but we have still got more work to do.Marama Davidson: Did she say no to being part of our inquiry because she does not want to hear from people like Peter Jeffries from CORT Housing who said of this Government's response that it is just throwing scraps?Hon PAULA BENNETT: I would have met with Peter Jeffries from CORT Housing more times than that member has. In fact I meet with community housing providers and non-government organisations weekly and am actually very connected to what is happening in this issue. I visit the city missions on a regular basis. I am in touch with the maraes and the work that is going on. [Interruption] The member cannot have it both ways. She cannot simply sit there and say that we are not doing anything and then say that what we are doing is not enough because actually those two things contradict each other.Marama Davidson: Was the reason she was not there yesterday that she did not want to be confronted with stories like the mother of a child with a disability who is stuck paying $400 a week living in a dirty caravan with no cooking facilities?Hon PAULA BENNETT: The reason I am not part of this inquiry is that I actually speak to people at the coalface and people who are suffering from this on a weekly basis. I do not need to go 18 months back in the programme of work that this Government is already doing. As the members themselves would say what they need is action and that is what the National Party and this Government are doing.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Minister since when has the coalface been the local deli?Mr SPEAKER: If the member chooses to answer—she does not have to.Hon PAULA BENNETT: It is probably the rest home that you should be in. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order!Rt Hon Winston Peters: Does the Minister remember making such a similar comment being challenged for a race in the main street of Maungatūroto with her being given half a kilometre head start and not taking it up?Mr SPEAKER: If the Minister wants to—the Hon Paula Bennett.Hon PAULA BENNETT: In all fairness I do not believe in elder abuse. And for that matter I probably do not think he should be in a rest home anyway."