Ross Jami-Lee: Estimates Debate — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRoss Jami-Lee: Estimates Debate — In Committee[Sitting date: 31 July 2013. Volume:692;Page:12156. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany):The last group of people who should be lecturing this Parliament on housing affordability is the Labour Party because in the 9 years that Labour was in Government house prices increased around the country by 100 percent. In the time that this Government has been in office house prices have increased by 12 percent. If anyone knows about housing affordability it is members of the Labour Party.I want to take the opportunity to stand up for the 28000 people living in my electorate of Botany who were born outside of New Zealand because 28000 people in my electorate—49 percent of my electorate—are the type of people whom the Labour members opposite are saying are not welcome to buy houses in New Zealand. The Labour Party has taken a xenophobic attitude to housing. It is saying that foreigners who wish to move to this country invest in this country bring skills bring investment and by the way purchase a house are not welcome. I find that view—The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch): I am sorry to interrupt the honourable member. The time has come for me to leave the Chair for the dinner break.Sitting suspended from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.JAMI-LEE ROSS: Before the dinner break I was telling the Committee why the Labour Party has absolutely no credibility when it comes to housing—no credibility. When Labour was in Government it saw house prices increase by 100 percent whereas they have gone up by only 2 percent in the time we have been in Government. Labour has got no credibility. Its xenophobic approach to housing offends the 28000 people in my electorate who were born overseas.Dr Rajen Prasad: That’s a lie.JAMI-LEE ROSS: It should offend Rajen Prasad and it should offend the 49 percent of my electorate who were born overseas. But actually we know that experts in this area do not agree that Labour’s approach would do anything. They know that itwould be poor policy that would achieve nothing. Economists know it will achieve nothing. Real estate leaders know it will achieve nothing. People out there who are trying to buy houses know it would achieve nothing.But I thought the most interesting comment heard in the last 24 hours on this topic actually came from Len Brown someone whom David Shearer tries to say is a Labour mayor and one of theirs. I was onBack Benches recently with David Shearer and he was claiming Len Brown as one of their own. Actually Len Brown was on Radio Live today rubbishing the policy and telling Duncan Garner that the policy would do very little because Len Brown—the Labour mayor as Labour likes to call him—agrees with us. He agrees with us that it is about ensuring that land supply is increased because the problem in Auckland is a supply and demand issue. It is not an issue of foreigners coming into the country and trying to buy land.Le’aufa’amuliaAsenati Lole-Taylor: Yes it is.JAMI-LEE ROSS: The number of people wanting to do that is very small. Asenati Lole-Taylor was allowed to buy land. Why should not other people who are coming into the country be allowed to buy land? It is about ensuring more land is made available. The Labour Party wants to talk about another policy it has which is to get 100000 houses built over 10 years at a cost of $300000 a section.Hon Members: How much?JAMI-LEE ROSS: At a cost of $300000 a section. Guess what though? The average cost of land in Auckland is $325000 a section. So unless Labour is going to all of a sudden reduce the price of land it will not work. Unless it is going to absolutely subsidise the cost of these housing areas with taxpayers’ money it is simply not going to work. Here is another point: the Labour Party policy of 100000 houses over 10 years equates to 10000 houses a year—30000 houses over 3 years. This Government has promised 39000 houses over 3 years—9000 more than Labour has promised. Labour reckons it has all the big solutions. We have already got 39000 houses about to be built in Auckland. That is in Auckland alone and there will be even more across the rest of the country.The Labour Party has no credibility. House prices soared when it was in office. The Labour Party has a xenophobic policy that offends many many people out there in New Zealand who have come to this country brought skills brought investment and want to reside here and make this place their home. The Labour Party’s promise to build more houses actually pales in comparison with what this Government is already talking about. David Shearer wants to say that this Government does not walk the walk. Actually this Government does. We are increasing land supply we have got agreements with councils and we are working intensively to ensure that more housing will be made available in Auckland and around New Zealand. The Mayor of Auckland Len Brown agrees with us that Labour is wrong.