7. Homelessness—Government Measures to AddressPHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū) to the Minister for Social HousingHomelessness—Government Measures to Address7. PHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū) to the Minister for Social Housing: Does she stand by her statement on Radio NZ on why she decided to fund emergency housing places in the latest Budget that I just knew that it was worse than it had been and I couldn't see it getting better in a hurry"; if so how did she know it was worse than it had been?Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Housing): Yes I do stand by that statement. I knew because I regularly engage with emergency providers and understand the pressures that they are under. I knew because I commissioned a review last year that told me that there were people in need and who were struggling to find houses in Auckland. I knew because I live in Auckland and I understand the pressures that the housing market is under. That is why I addressed it with $2.5 million going in last year and another $41 million going into emergency housing this year.Phil Twyford: Why did she advise the Prime Minister to say that homeless people should just go to Work and Income New Zealand when it is taking her 155 days on average to house the homeless?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Well because the figure of 155 days is not accurate.Hon Annette King: Table it.Hon PAULA BENNETT: That is fine.Phil Twyford: Can she confirm that even if the first 7 days are covered by Work and Income New Zealand 155 days in a motel will rack up debts of between $25000 and $35000 per family and who is going to pay for that?Hon PAULA BENNETT: On average it is for 7 days that people have been requiring those special-needs grants; in exceptional circumstances it will go longer. I am thrilled to announce that that will be starting tomorrow.Phil Twyford: Given that she says "We've got more people in need than I have got houses to put them in right now" does she accept that it would not be such a big problem if her Government had not sold down the stock of State houses by nearly 3000 since 2011?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Since the 1990s there had already been a 25 percent increase in State houses in the Auckland market. We have a pipeline that is bringing—[Interruption]. I am sorry Mr Speaker I cannot even hear myself. [Interruption] Mr SPEAKER: Order! Hon PAULA BENNETT: We have a pipeline of houses that are coming through of more than 1000 social houses in the Auckland market. [Interruption] Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point in trying to answer the question. Order! Can I just ask that if we are going to have another supplementary question from Mr Twyford can his colleagues please allow Mr Twyford and myself to hear the answer?Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Disorder will be caused in the House when Mr Twyford asks a question albeit one with some politics in it with a specific number—about the number of State houses that have been sold off by this Government—and when the answer given by the Minister referred to what had happened to State housing since the 1990s. That is what caused the disorder—it was the answer that the Minister gave.Mr SPEAKER: Well it will not cause disorder and if I need to deal with it by asking members to leave—that was a satisfactory answer that addressed the question. I admit it was not the answer that Mr Twyford wanted. Can I just warn Mr Robertson that if that is the cause of the disorder then I will deal with it by asking members whom I consider to be disorderly to be leaving question time. Phil Twyford: When children as young as 11 are living under bushes in South Auckland is her $41 million over 4 years for emergency housing enough when she herself admits that it will largely fund only existing services?Hon PAULA BENNETT: That is why we actually have the highest number of building consents that we have seen in many years. That is why we are seeing an increase in the number of social houses particularly in Auckland that are coming through including the 18 that I went to see just earlier this week where we had knocked down five houses to actually then rebuild another 18 homes. That is making a huge difference for those New Zealanders who need it. There are literally thousands of new houses that are in—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! We are now getting back to where we were. If we cannot hear the answers there is little point in Mr Twyford continuing with his line of questioning. I will invite the member to ask his supplementary question but if I do not get cooperation from the left-hand side throughout the answer I am just going to move to the next question.Phil Twyford: Does she think that homelessness might be getting worse because instead of focusing on fixing the problem she spends her time pretending that flying squads have talked to people who did not need help and having her office smear the people who are actually giving help like Te Puea Marae?Hon PAULA BENNETT: I have a lot of respect for Te Puea Marae and what it is doing there and always have. I actually think that between the Government community and councils what we are doing is making a difference. Yes there is a lot that is happening. There is a lot in the pipeline—[Interruption] There is just no point Mr Speaker."