Smith StuartSTUART SMITH (National—Kaikōura): Thank you Mr Chair—a good decision. We have heard a lot about substandard housing in the last little while and I would just like to point out that probably 17 years ago 20 years ago those houses would have still been substandard. They have not appeared to be substandard just overnight. They are old houses they are old stock and the issue is actually there has not been enough investment in that stock over the years and it is in the wrong place it is the wrong size and it needs to be reconfigured and at last we are attacking that. I applaud that step forward. It is forward-thinking and it is a massive step but it has to be taken. It is a shame it has taken so long for that to be realised because we now have a lot of ground to make up.There was a lot of talk about what is happening in Auckland but you know I do not live in Auckland and while there are some shortages in other parts of the country there is a lot of surplus housing stock around the country and also it matches up with a shortage of employees to work around the country. I note in the Ministry of Social Development report that it talked about how we asked the Minister about several of the initiatives like the 3K to Christchurch scheme which provides $3000 to enable people to move to take up jobs in Christchurch and that has worked incredibly well. It is quite ironic when you look around the country that we cannot get people into the regions and it is happening in every region. I note meatworkers for example—I have got an abattoir in my electorate that is desperate for staff. It is desperate for them. It cannot get them and yet there are meatworkers with skills in other parts of the country who will not move. So it is a real problem.We also have some issues in other parts of the country like in Southland with dairy workers all being paid—Phil Twyford: What about Blenheim? STUART SMITH: And vineyard workers in Marlborough absolutely. In fact a taxi driver was telling me the other day quite proudly about his adult son who is home from university and who cleared $19 an hour in his hand working in the vineyards. It is actually very good money and it is surprising that more people are not availing themselves of that.I also wanted to talk about how there was an appropriation or a vote of $15 million for 800 places in the Limited Service Volunteer programme. I have to say as a former patron of the Limited Service Volunteers I have seen how well that works and I applaud that money going towards that programme. To see over 6 weeks the young people who come along to that programme most of their heads down in fact with very little confidence very little pride in themselves—to see how their heads come up over that 6 weeks and the skills they get having to work in a team having to actually take responsibility for themselves is quite amazing.They are allowed to smoke for instance but there is a little square painted on the ground in amongst all of the buildings and if they want to smoke they have to find their way over there to smoke and they are allowed to do that only a couple of times a day. But it has turned their lives around. And to see the pride on their faces—I had the pleasure of handing out the awards at the graduation or passing-out parade. The emotion on the faces of those people was amazing. I think for some of them it was the first time they had ever been told that they had done a great job. It was fantastic to see that and really a very humbling experience.I also—talking about experiences—would like to reflect back on the Budget in 2015 which was my first Budget. I have to say it was quite amazing sitting in here when the Government announced its hardship package raising the benefit for the first time in 43 years and to see the look of absolutely stunned mullets across the other side of the House was quite an amazing sight really. To stand up as a Government and particularly a National Government to actually raise the benefits for the first time in 43 years—I think New Zealanders really stood up and took notice of what great leadership John Key brought to this country. He will be sorely missed and will go down as one of our great Prime Ministers. On that note I would like to commend the reports to the Committee. Thank you.