1. Question No. 1—Public HousingMARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing)ORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Public Housing1. MARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing): What actions has this Government taken for public housing in New Zealand?Hon KRIS FAAFOI (Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing)): Faakalofa lahi atu Mr Speaker. Can I thank the member for her question particularly given that this Government has implemented the biggest State house building programme since the 1970s. On coming into office we put an end to nine years of neglect around housing. It was characterised by State houses being boarded up sold or demolished. This Government however has made a very clear commitment to the importance of a far stronger public housing sector in New Zealand. In Budget 2018 we committed $234 million to securing an additional 6400 public housing places nationwide by June 2022 or 1600 places per year on average fully funded in Budget 2018. Across New Zealand more families now have a place to call home thanks to the delivery of an extra 2178 public housing places in the year to June 2019 with a pipeline established to deliver well over 2000 more places for the coming year.Marama Davidson: How many public houses have been built under this Government?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: Since this Government has come into office we have delivered 2535 new builds. We've also housed 754 individuals and whānau through the Housing First programme and we've increased transitional housing places by over 1000 places to a total of 2989 places altogether.Marama Davidson: Is this Government committed to building at scale and pace—Chris Bishop: Ho ho ho!Marama Davidson: —until the need is met?SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume her seat. The member who made that noise will stand withdraw and apologise.Chris Bishop: I withdraw and apologise.SPEAKER: And he's lost some supplementaries; I'll decide how many. Start again please.Marama Davidson: Is this Government committed to building at scale and pace until the need is met?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: The Government build programme continues to pick up speed and deliver homes across our communities. For the year ended June this year we exceeded the 1600 target by 578 and delivered a total of 2178 additional places. Kāinga Ora also currently has about 2000 homes under construction or under contract. Kāinga Ora's stepped-up build programme is delivering more and more homes that are designed to be built to modern standards including double glazing insulation accessibility—Hon Maggie Barry: Speech—speech!Hon KRIS FAAFOI: —and affordable heating such as heat pumps. Thank you very much.Marama Davidson: How are new State houses meeting people's needs especially around accessibility?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: The Government has recognised that people on the housing register have different needs such as the size of family and therefore property; accessibility requirements for people who have disabilities; or proximity to employment or core services that the tenant may need. Kāinga Ora and the community housing providers are ensuring that the new housing provision better matches the unique needs of people on the housing register. Kāinga Ora also offers a community group housing service that specialises in providing suitable properties for community organisations to house and support people with physical or intellectual disabilities.Marama Davidson: What steps has this Government taken to ensure that State houses provide a long-term home for people who are most in need?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: The Minister for Social Development the Hon Carmel Sepuloni and I recently announced $54 million in Government funding for initiatives which will support at-risk individuals and whānau to stay in their existing tenancies. The funding will also provide additional wraparound services strengthening ways to reduce homelessness and prevent it. It complements the Government's existing investment in the Housing First programme which supports people with multiple high complex needs who have experienced homelessness. We know that ensuring these people have stable tenancies will improve their overall outcomes.