5. Question No. 5—HousingPAULO GARCIA (National—New Lynn) to the Minister of HousingQuestion No. 5—Housing5. PAULO GARCIA (National—New Lynn) to the Minister of Housing: What announcements has he made regarding social housing?Hon CHRIS BISHOP (Minister of Housing): Today I was proud to announce that the Government is investing in social housing for New Zealanders who are most in need of a warm dry home. Budget 2024 will allocate $140 million in new funding for 1500 new social housing places to be provided by community housing providers not Kāinga Ora thanks to savings found by ending the First Home Grant. As the House has discussed previously funding for new social housing places under the previous Government ends in June 2025—another fiscal cliff we've had to confront. These places will start to become available from July 2025 giving the sector much-needed certainty about the pipeline allowing them to plan for the future.Paulo Garcia: Why are these places going to community housing providers and not Kāinga Ora?Hon CHRIS BISHOP: Well as the House discussed yesterday and as I announced on Monday the independent review into Kāinga Ora reveals that it's not financially sustainable in its current form. And until we have received as the Government and approved a turnaround plan from the refreshed board we will not be giving any new social housing places to them. The community housing sector does an outstanding job of housing people in need—currently over 13000 social houses around New Zealand. They've got the capability expertise and desire to grow further and this Government's going to back them to succeed.Paulo Garcia: How will you pay for these 1500 places?Hon CHRIS BISHOP: As I said before funding for the new social housing places ends in June 2025 and we are filling in this fiscal cliff by ending the First Home Grant. Budget 2024 is about tough decisions and we have made a deliberate choice to reprioritise low-value expenditure to more important policy priorities. At a time when the wait-list for social housing is over 25000 applicants we have made the tough call to prioritise support for them. The First Home Grant provides a median of $5000 towards a house deposit but it is an expensive and inefficient way to support first-home buyers. We are doing the right thing and focusing on supply-side solutions to our housing crisis.Paulo Garcia: What support for first-home buyers will the Government be retaining?Hon CHRIS BISHOP: We're retaining the First Home Loan scheme which is effective at supporting buyers over the deposit barrier. This allows first-home buyers to purchase a home with a deposit as low as 5 percent. We're also retaining the ability for KiwiSaver members to withdraw funds for a first-home deposit. The First Home Loan helps thousands of Kiwis into their first homes every year. It's more effective at supporting New Zealanders over the deposit barrier and this is the right thing to do to support New Zealanders in need.SPEAKER: Supplementary question—the Rt Hon Winston—Rt Hon Winston Peters: Will the Minister please deal with the—SPEAKER: I can't even get your name out.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Pardon?SPEAKER: You're off the mark pretty quick. I hadn't even said your full name. You want the nation to hear—supplementary question the Rt Hon Winston Peters.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Modesty prevents me saying anything Mr Speaker. Can I ask the Minister: could he possibly deal with the question that came by way of objection but is the specialty of the member who shouted it out Rachel Boyack when she shouted out Rubbish"?SPEAKER: No we'll let that one go."