Kanongata'a-Suisuiki AnahilaANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI (Labour): It is an absolute privilege to speak on this Kāinga Ora—Homes and Communities Bill. I grew up in a State house in Onehunga in Auckland when I arrived here in New Zealand in 1980 and that's because that State house was built by a Labour Government. And that was because there was a need in the community in New Zealand to provide for those who we may say are vulnerable but actually it's providing for those—both my parents were working at the time but they still needed support. It is to provide for ordinary New Zealanders—ordinary New Zealanders. So before I talk further on this bill I want to reflect on what the New Zealand Public Service Association said because it sums up the bill. I just want to say it just in case I talk on and on and I forget to include that in my speech. The New Zealand Public Service Association said We welcome the commitment from this Government to strengthen the role of central government in the planning and co-ordination of housing and urban development. The merger of Housing [New Zealand] HCL and parts of the KiwiBuild programme into one agency with housing and development powers is a positive step forward towards a more co-ordinated approach from central government. We look forward to the accompanying piece of legislation to see the detail of the new agency's development powers." So that's what it is about. That's what Kāinga Ora is all about. This coalition Government is about fixing the long-term hands-off approach by the previous Government in their last nine years. Kāinga Ora reflects our Government's commitment like I said to the hands-on approach to tackling homelessness and unaffordable housing. Kāinga Ora will be our housing delivery arm right across the housing continuum. We have designed Kāinga Ora in a way that reflects our values and focuses on the wellbeing. The fact this bill is actually called Kāinga Ora brings a new perspective into lenses of a Te Ao Māori world view that has been missing from some of our conversation in this country. In a collective term it actually talks about the wellbeing of the community and if a bill in law starts off with the intent of providing for wellbeing in the community then I say it is the right thing to do. It is the right thing to do. Previously we've heard from the last nine years—I had been a diligent public servant during those times—of the trickling-down effect. Actually what we've just heard from Dr Liz Craig the Labour list MP based in Invercargill in the documentary that she alerted us to was that actually mould was trickling down the walls the curtains—the breeze was coming through holes in the wall.I know Invercargill. I actually spent most of my time in Tāmaki-makau-rau but I know that in Invercargill it is a lot colder. It is a lot colder in Invercargill—curtains move indoors because of what the conditions of these places were. I think that the perspective of kāinga ora of a well community well home actually is the right way to go.The Tongan word for kāinga which in Māori is about home and a place to stay is called 'api. When you're talking about 'api that's why I reflect on this in terms of a collective point of view of wellbeing is that I connect to it because 'api means the whole property the people that live in the home. So I think that kāinga and 'api actually are about the same.So what does Kāinga Ora do? Well Kāinga Ora has two core roles: being a world-class housing landlord and leading and coordinating urban development projects. It will be a powerful delivery entity capable of integrated urban development that provides a mix of public affordable and open-market housing in large and small urban development projects throughout the country.As I've said before I grew up in a State house and I'm used to having the lawn in the front and the lawn at the back whether you lived in the State house or you had your own home. What New Zealand is going through is a new way of living. Whether you were living in an affluent community or whether you grew up in a State house we all had a backyard—most of us had a backyard. We're going into the new future of New Zealand now where there is a possibility that might not be a possibility for many. If kāinga ora is about looking at the wellbeing of the community that we will take into place urban spaces where people could have recreation places parks that will actually support the growth of urban living. So for some large-scale complex development projects it will have access to a range of statutory powers that will better enable development. It is a new agency to power us to partner with local government iwi and the private sector to build—here comes the word it's called quality State and affordable market homes creating thriving living and planned communities. So why do we need it? Why do we need Kāinga Ora? Why do we need Kāinga Ora—homes and communities? As I said before New Zealand is becoming more urban with more people living in cities and towns than ever before. I'm not sure what my view is on Invercargill but I'm glad that my parents chose to live in Tāmaki-makau-rau but my view may have been different if I grew up in Invercargill. Traditionally as I've said before in towns and cities we have grown by turning neighbouring rural land into suburban homes. Second-generation or brownfield development is often difficult and risky with poor quality and ageing or at-capacity infrastructure. I speak from experience in terms of having families and people that every day I come in connection with who live in homes that actually reflected what Dr Liz Craig had said about the homes that were in that documentary. If we have this in place then we know for certain the future of New Zealand housing will be as we've often said on this side affordable will be warm and will be able to reflect the people living in that community.So I am a grandmother of six soon to be seven—I'm a grandmother of six soon to be seven—I said before I'm 50—[Interruption] Yeah. This is about building for the long term. This is about building beyond the 30 years. What I would want for my grandchildren I would want for every person in this country because we are building for generations and generations and generations.I often reminisce on how we used to have a backyard and we had those round State house cement houses at the back where we fit the lawn mower. But the thing is—Hon Member: But everyone's got one of those.ANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI: On Moana Avenue in Onehunga we did. The thing is that there was—Hon Member: Not these days.ANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI: Yeah not these days. So now—now—it is about bringing in the future development and futureproofing it for every New Zealander—every New Zealander.Kieran McAnulty: Did they do that?ANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI: I don't even think they thought there was a housing crisis. I don't think they thought it was a housing crisis. I don't know. I thought they were good at maths but if one was selling off State houses not building them and if one were not building new homes affordable homes then—Hon Member: Minus one.ANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI: Minus one. Then why do we think there is a housing crisis? Because there's not enough houses—there's not enough houses. If you're selling State houses—DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! It would be nice if the member actually talked about the Budget.ANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI: OK.DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have given a lot of leeway.ANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI: All right. Thank you Madam Speaker.DEPUTY SPEAKER: It would be nice just to bring it to the Budget for the last bit.Hon Members: Kāinga Ora bill.ANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI: OK.DEPUTY SPEAKER: I'm sorry back to the House. I beg your pardon.ANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI: OK let's come back to Kāinga Ora.I want to take this opportunity to all those that contributed throughout the select committee stages. The bill—as I said before if I didn't say it before—lays out a set of operating principles for Kāinga Ora which the board will be required to enforce. Having a group of people to enforce with a set of principles is always a good start when we're talking about a bill. If we know what the board has to work alongside in terms of providing great principles for this building for the next 30 years then that's what Kāinga Ora will provide. It will also be supporting tenants. I know that every landlord wants to look after the wellbeing of the people within the homes that they're actually getting a livelihood from. On that note I commend this bill to the House.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you and I do apologise for interrupting the member. I call Hon Ron Mark."