Pillay Lynne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Pillay Lynne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:645;Page:14176] 
11.  
LYNNE PILLAY (Labour—Waitakere) 
 to the  
Minister of Housing 
: What action is the Government taking to make housing more affordable? 
Hon MARYAN STREET (Minister of Housing) 
: 
 Yesterday the Prime Minister outlined an ambitious programme to tackle housing affordability. Critical to it are first the development of additional large-scale building projects similar to the Hobsonville and Tamaki projects; second the identification of Crown land for developments; third the plans to extend the role of the third sector in housing provision; and fourth the shared equity scheme the details of which will be unveiled in July. 
Lynne Pillay 
: What examples of housing developments are already under way? 
Hon MARYAN STREET 
: There are several developments under way designed to build mixed communities. These include the developments in Papakura and Weymouth which are expected to deliver 650 houses; the recently announced revitalisation of Tamaki which is expected to add an extra 3000 new houses; and Hobsonville—which incidentally Mr John Key is on the record as opposing—which will bring in another 3000 houses. 
Lynne Pillay 
: What alternative initiatives has she seen to alleviate the housing affordability problem? 
Hon MARYAN STREET 
: I have seen the same tired old simplistic suggestions from the National Party that we should scrap the Resource Management Act remove all building compliance allow urban sprawl and sell State houses. The Labour-led Government understands the issues and unlike National we do have a comprehensive plan of action to tackle the problem. I challenge the other side to be slightly more ambitious. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: It is becoming impossible for me to hear. Members will be asked to leave the House if this level of interjection continues. 
Phil Heatley 
: Was the chairman of Housing New Zealand Corporation telling the truth at a select committee this morning when he said that the 500-odd affordable homes to be built at Hobsonville—not the shared equity ones but the cheaper first-home-buyer houses—will cost around $350000 and will require a household income of $70000 per annum to pay off; if so how in the world does this flagship policy help low to middle income earners? 
Hon MARYAN STREET 
: Again Mr Heatley takes a very simplistic view of the solutions to what is a very complex problem. In the end we will announce the details of a shared equity proposal which will in fact target new building and may be applied and will assist average low and modest income households to achieve their first home. 
Phil Heatley 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I asked very specifically whether the Minister would concur with Pat Snedden’s statement that these first-home-buyer homes will cost $350000 and those first-home buyers will have to be earning $70000 a year. Does she concur with Pat Snedden the chairman of Housing New Zealand Corporation that people will have to be earning that sort of money for these first-home-buyer homes? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: As the member knows you cannot ask for a yes or no answer. The Minister did in fact address the question.