6. Question No. 6—HousingRAWIRI WAITITI (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori) (Remote) to the Minister of HousingQuestion No. 6—Housing6. RAWIRI WAITITI (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori) (Remote) to the Minister of Housing: Tēnā koe e te Pīka otirā tēnā tātou e te Whare. [Thank you Mr Speaker indeed my greetings to all of us in the House.]Kia orana kotou katoatoa i te 'Epetoma o te reo Maori Kūki 'Āirani. Te kaupapa 'Ātuitui'ia au ki te Oneone o tōku 'Ui Tupuna. Does she stand by all her Government's statements and actions on housing?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Housing): Kia orana Mr Speaker. Yes. I am particularly proud of the more than 10000 new public homes that this Government has delivered since 2017 the largest public house - building programme since the 1970s. I am also proud of and stand by the suite of dedicated Māori housing policies of our Government led by Minister Henare. These address housing needs from homelessness right through to homeownership.Rawiri Waititi: How can she stand by her Government's actions on rental housing in Te Waiariki when new data shows that for the first time ever the median rent in the Bay of Plenty has surpassed both Auckland and Wellington making it the most expensive place to rent in the country?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The Bay of Plenty and particularly Rotorua is one of the most challenging areas we have for housing. There is a very simple reason for this: there simply are not enough houses. Over the last decade the population of Rotorua has grown by around 9000 people. However there have only been 1500 consents granted in Rotorua most of those in the last two years. There simply have not been enough homes built in that area and that is why Rotorua was one of the first cabs off the rank in the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund as was Tauranga through the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund. Our Government is finally backing this region to make sure that we can have more homes built. Other Governments have not done so.Rawiri Waititi: Is she concerned by reports such as those from the Rotorua Budget Advisory Service manager Pakanui Tuhura who has said that people in Rotorua were doing anything and everything to keep a roof over their kids' heads including taking extra jobs bringing in family as boarders and buying less food?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: Yes I am and this is why Rotorua was I think the largest recipient of the first round of the Infrastructure Investment Fund. It's also why Rotorua has been singled out as an area for over-delivery in the public housing plan because we simply do not have enough public houses in Rotorua. The previous Government decreased the number and failed to build there and we are building them back.Rawiri Waititi: How is it not an indictment on her Government that things are so desperate for whānau in my electorate with rising rents rising prices and flat-lining incomes that Rotorua residents are saying We may as well go bush."?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: We acknowledge how difficult it is. We acknowledge that housing is one of the areas that people are struggling with the most. However this housing crisis is one that has been created over a long period of time. What there needs to be is a commitment to a long and sustained period of work and investment which our Government is putting in. We will turn this around but it is not going to happen overnight.Rawiri Waititi: What is she specifically doing to address rising rents and homelessness in Waiariki other than pumping millions into private hotel companies?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: I've addressed a number of those initiatives in answers to previous questions in this set. Critical is making sure that we have land that houses can be built on and this is why both Rotorua and Tauranga have been large recipients of the first round of the Infrastructure Investment Fund with Rotorua being the largest. Rotorua in particular is also an area that has been singled out for over-delivery in the public housing plan and it is one of the place-based initiatives we have because we understand there is such need in this area."