Lotu-Iiga Sam: Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLotu-Iiga Sam: Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 22 August 2013. Volume:692;Page:12781. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (National—Maungakiekie):It is a pleasure to speak on the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Bill. May I first acknowledge the Minister of Housing the Hon Dr Nick Smith for his leadership his ability and his hard work in bringing this bill to the House. The reason why is that he understands the issues that relate to affordable housing in the country. He understands that there is a plan to address those housing issues in this country. He is taking action to address those issues that pertain to housing affordability in this country.We all know that the Minister has set out the case for this bill which is to enable the Government to work with councils to fast track consents for new housing developments across this country. When you talk to the developers out there they say the one thing the one barrier that does not allow them to get on to building houses especially in Auckland is around the red tape and bureaucracy. This bill will address that by freeing up land and bringing down the bureaucracy that really does not enable our developers to build homes in this country.The Opposition member Phil Twyford crowed that land supply is not the only answer. We on this side of the House agree with that. But this measure goes to attacking the single most important issue around affordable housing. The Productivity Commission the IMF the Reserve Bank and Treasury have said that land supply is critical so it saddens me today to listen to Labour members not allowing this bill and not voting for this bill when this bill critically increases land supply across this country. This bill is about the Government working with local councils.There are other issues. They include material costs. They include the building of infrastructure. They include productivity in the construction sector because we know productivity has actually declined over the last 20 years in that sector. I have already talked about red tape compliance costs and bureaucracy. So this bill will speed up resource consents.It is evident as the Minister has already said that in Auckland we need 39000 homes over the next 3 years. Clearly 1400 sections available for construction is not going to do it so this bill aims to redress that issue. If Mr Twyford and his mates across the aisle say that this is not going to do that then why has the de facto leader of the Labour Party in this country Mayor Len Brown brought into this piece of legislation being able to at least release land in the Auckland region? I challenge him to go back to his mates in the Labour Party and ask why Mayor Len Brown is supporting this.The Social Services Committee made a number of changes. I want to thank the select committee members. I also want to thank the officials who worked under what were quite challenging circumstances to assist the committee to get this legislation to the House. We heard submissions both here and in Auckland. Submitters generally supported the Government’s intent. Unlike what Mr Twyford said in his speech they actually support this bill to streamline consent processes and release land. One of the changes that the committee made was to clarify how and when the powers of the bill can be used and to clarify how the provisions of the bill will work with other legislation primarily the Resource Management Act. Submitters were also concerned that in determining which regions have housing supply and affordability issues the critical criteria around affordability were around land supply.Amendments enabled the Minister to consider other factors including projected demand and other things such as shortage of supply or lack of affordability or infrastructure. I think that is really important because we listened to the submitters and we inserted clauses in the bill to allow it to reflect the views of New Zealanders. We also looked at the definition of “predominantly residential” and what that means for qualifying developments and clarified that it must therefore have the supply of residential dwellings as its primary purpose.Mr Twyford also referred to the override provisions. To allay some of the fears of councils that made submissions the bill now includes the option of inserting a dispute resolution process into a housing accord.Phil Twyford: It’s a sop.Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Mr Twyford knows it. He knows that those types of clauses are effective. Where both parties to an accord agree to a dispute resolution process then that will take priority. For clarification we inserted that into the bill. Wehave also dealt with definitions around what is adjacent or adjourning. Land owners are to be notified of new developments. The committee was generally constructive in bringing about some of those changes.I conclude by saying that high housing prices in Auckland raise debt and increase demands on the social assistance of both the Government and NGOs. Making housing more affordable is good for the economy it is good for our communities and it is good for those families who are seeking to get affordable housing in our communities. This bill as I have said is not the panacea. It is one of a number of initiatives that this Government is progressing to address the issue of—Phil Twyford: Like Welcome Home Loans and KiwiSaver.Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: —housing affordability and we will continue. Mr Twyford might laugh at the fact that this is a serious issue in Parliament—it is a serious issue for my communities in Maungakiekie—but we will continue to act in the best interests of all New Zealanders who want to live their Kiwi dream who want to live in their own home. We will continue to support and encourage those New Zealanders to aspire to their dreams and aspirations. That is why I commend this bill to the House.