4. Emergency Housing—Motel UsePHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū) to the Minister for Social HousingEmergency Housing—Motel Use4. PHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū) to the Minister for Social Housing: Does she agree with the Prime Minister's statement about the Government spending $140000 a day on putting homeless people into motels I don't know why people are complaining about this"?Hon AMY ADAMS (Minister for Social Housing): The Prime Minister was making the comment that we are more than comfortable spending money to ensure that no one in genuine hardship should have to sleep rough on our streets and of course I agree with that. I also agree with the Prime Minister that the member cannot have it both ways—criticising the Government for not doing enough and criticising the Government for spending too much.Phil Twyford: Why is it so hard for her and the Prime Minister to understand that people are complaining not because the Government is putting people up in motels but because the Government has so mismanaged the housing crisis that so many people need to be put up in motels?Hon AMY ADAMS: What the member fails to appreciate is that this is not a new issue and I can point to countless reports during the Labour Government of people sleeping in cars and in motels. What is different is that this Government for the first time has been prepared to step up and do something about it. We are very proud that we are not going to turn our backs on these people and we will provide solutions. If that means a motel in the short term while we get them into something more sustainable that is what we will do.Phil Twyford: Why 9 months after she promised an extra 1400 additional emergency housing beds has she delivered only 300?Hon AMY ADAMS: I can tell that member that we do have more than 1400 emergency housing beds available right now. That is more than New Zealand has ever had and it is part of our plan to deliver 2150 which is 2150 more than Labour ever delivered.Mr SPEAKER: Order! Before I call the member to ask his supplementary question I would be grateful if his own colleagues would at least listen to the answer.Phil Twyford: How can the Government be so out of touch that the Deputy Prime Minister now says that she had no idea how much the motel grants were going to cost and after last year's winter of misery only budgeted $2 million but now expects to spend $50 million on motels?Hon AMY ADAMS: When a Government provides a solution that has never been provided before for the first time it is not possible to exactly and accurately estimate what will be provided. What we said is that we will meet the cost whatever that cost is and we are doing that. This is a Government that is ensuring that there are options for people and that if they go to the Ministry of Social Development we will find them a solution.Phil Twyford: Why will she not admit that she is spending $140000 a day putting homeless New Zealanders up in motels because her Government has reduced the number of State houses by 5000 and reduced the numbers of social houses which includes community housing - provider dwellings by 3000?Hon AMY ADAMS: The member is absolutely and utterly wrong. Those numbers are not correct and we are in the process of delivering 6000 more social houses while we are delivering transitional houses and while we are supporting transitional care something that that party never did."