9. Housing Auckland—Supply and Government Measures to AddressPHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū) to the Minister for Building and ConstructionHousing Auckland—Supply and Government Measures to Address9. PHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū) to the Minister for Building and Construction: Does he agree with the Auckland Council chief economist that an Auckland housing shortfall of almost 50000 by 2023 is a conservative estimate?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for Building and Construction): I have seen all sorts of estimates of the housing shortfall ranging from as low as 15000 to as high from Shamubeel Eaqub as 500000 nationwide. The numbers depend dramatically on assumptions about population growth household size and the new home build rate. My focus has been on a policy to grow new home construction which has increased over the last 5 years in Auckland from 3000 homes per year to now over 10000 homes per year.Phil Twyford: Is it not true that Auckland Council's estimated shortfall could in fact be much bigger than 50000 given that it assumes population growth that is only half the current rate and a build rate of 11000 a year when Statistics New Zealand said today that only 8642 homes were completed in the last 12 months?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The member should be apologising for his misrepresentation of the issues around building consenting. He claimed that the number of homes being built was 30 percent less than the number that was being consented. The report out today from Statistics New Zealand says that that number might be 2 or 3 percent—not 30. This is as big an embarrassment as the debacle over Chinese-sounding names.Phil Twyford: Can he confirm that under the last Labour Government 77596 homes were built in Auckland but under this National Government only 43000 homes have been built in Auckland; does he still call that the biggest building boom that the country has ever seen"?Mr SPEAKER: There are two questions there—the Hon Dr Nick Smith.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I am very happy for the House to look at the comparison. In every one of Labour's last 6 years in office the number of homes being built dropped—it dropped from 10000 a year to just 3000 a year. In every one of the last 6 years the number of homes being built in Auckland has grown. In fact the last 6 years is the longest and strongest building boom in Auckland's history.Phil Twyford: Is 77000 more or less than 43000?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: It is true that when Labour first came into Government in 1999 we were building a large number of houses. Then as Labour's policies came into effect like the metropolitan urban limit it completely strangled new home construction. The building rate dropped every year from 2004 to the lowest level in more than 50 years when we became the Government. That number has gone up from 3000 a year to over 10000 a year under this Government. Phil Twyford: When fewer than 2000 homes have been built in his Auckland special housing areas in the 3 years since he announced that policy and the shortfall of 35000 homes built up on his watch is predicted to blow out to 50000 in the next few years is that not the definition of failure?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: There are 4800 homes that have been consented in special housing areas in Auckland and 2500—2500—of those have been completed. Right now a third of the new homes being built in Auckland are in special housing areas. That is if we did not have special housing areas there would be 3000 fewer homes per year being built in Auckland. So I say that has helped grow supply. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! Question No. 10 Alastair Scott—[Interruption] Order! [Interruption] Order! Can I say to Mr Brownlee and Mr Twyford: if they want to go and have a chat do it over a cup of coffee in the lounge."