Paraone Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Paraone Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:628;Page:391] 
7.  
PITA PARAONE (NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Housing 
: Does he have any concerns regarding the availability and affordability of housing in New Zealand; if so what are they? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister of Housing) 
: 
 Yes I am concerned that some New Zealanders are finding it difficult to access affordable housing and to own their own homes which has social consequences. I am also concerned about the growing difficulties in finding suitable affordable properties for State housing particularly in areas like Auckland where there is an acute land shortage. The Government is working on both issues. 
Pita Paraone 
: Does the Minister agree that banks are playing a large role in fostering the overheated housing market by offering incentives such as the 100 percent finance on homes; if he does has he considered on his own or in consultation with other Ministers any options regarding that practice and if not what does he believe are the main drivers of the current state of New Zealand’s housing market? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The current drivers of the housing market are the issues that I raised in my initial answer which are the increased cost of housing particularly in our large urban areas and the legacy that we inherited from the previous Government which sold 13000 State houses. 
Steve Chadwick 
: What steps is the Government taking to address the concerns around access to affordable housing and to increase the supply of State housing? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The Government is addressing concerns in three ways. We have a series of initiatives to increase home ownership the most high-profile of which is the mortgage insurance scheme Welcome Home Loans; we are reviewing the accommodation supplement to improve access to the private rental market for people needing housing assistance; and we are constructing 1000 more State houses a year to meet the demands of the needy because the National Party sold 13000 of them mostly to speculators. 
Phil Heatley 
: What is the Minister’s analysis of both the OECD advice and the Reserve Bank advice that rampant increases in Government spending are putting huge upward pressures on mortgage interest rates which is making the first home out of reach for most first home buyers? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: As I said both in my initial and one of my supplementary answers this Government recognises that there is a housing crisis for some people in this country. We are taking very proactive steps to address that mainly because we inherited such a mess from the previous Government. 
Pita Paraone 
: How does the current level of demand for State housing compare with the demand for housing in general and what does the Minister plan to do if the demand for State housing grows faster than the demand for housing overall? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I am proud to be part of a Government that has built 1000 State houses a year since we came into power. Indeed there are 6157 properties now in the hands of tenants who were suffering from the consequences of having 13000 of them sold to speculators by the previous Government. 
Hon Pete Hodgson 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. The deputy leader of the National Party was heard to interject something that I think you heard and that I think ought to be withdrawn and apologised for. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: No I am sorry. I did not hear it in the barrage. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: He knows it. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Did the member utter an unparliamentary term? 
Gerry Brownlee 
: You can perhaps help me Madam Speaker. I suggested that what the Minister had said when he suggested that those State houses had all been sold to speculators was a lie. The problem we have is that it was in fact a mistruth on his part. So I will withdraw and apologise for any offence the House has taken at my using the term “liar” but I would suggest that in future Mr Carter should not be so reckless with the truth. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Are you speaking to the original point of order or is it a new point of order? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I am speaking to the original point of order to point out to you that both the withdrawal and apology and the comment that followed it were out of order. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member for withdrawing and apologising but he knows that in those circumstances one withdraws and apologises without making other comment. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I would like your guidance. Mr Brownlee in his point of order—which he was entitled to make—quoted me. But he actually misquoted me because I actually said that most State houses had been sold to speculators. I did not say they all had. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member for that but so that we can make some progress and remain consistent with the Standing Orders maybe Mr Brownlee would like to withdraw and apologise without making further comment. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Certainly. I do want to see order in the House. I withdraw and apologise. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: Having been through this myself in the past one can only withdraw and apologise. No other comment is in order. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Thank you. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. The first breach of the Standing Orders actually occurred with the Minister. The Standing Orders are quite clear that Ministers are to answer for their responsibilities and the difficulty with this Minister is that every time he gets into a corner he starts reciting matters from yonks and yonks ago. I would suggest to you that if you enforce the Standing Orders that are required—for Ministers to be responsible for their governance—we would not get into this difficulty. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member. However if the member was taking a point of order he should have taken it at the time not later. The House has now moved on.