Auchinvole Chris: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Auchinvole Chris: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 24 November 2009. Volume:659;Page:8027. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
3.  
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National—West Coast - Tasman) 
 to the  
Minister of Energy and Resources 
: How many houses were insulated in October through the Government’s Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart home insulation scheme? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Energy and Resources) 
: 
 Across the country a total of 5720 houses were insulated in October. In only 4 months nearly 20000 homes have been made warmer drier and healthier thanks to the financial assistance provided by the Government. I am also pleased to report that 70 percent of the houses insulated in October were occupied by people on low incomes with community services cards. 
Chris Auchinvole 
: What is the Government doing to cope with a huge demand for the scheme? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: The Government is responsive to the extraordinary way in which New Zealanders have decided to embrace the scheme. Accordingly after discussions with the Green Party we have made arrangements for the original appropriation of $323 million over the 4-year period to become a multi-year appropriation. This will allow a better spread of the funding so that people will not miss out and have to wait until the start of the next financial year to get assistance. It also means that we will easily be able to surpass the target for the first year of 27500 homes—something we have almost achieved in 4 months. 
Chris Hipkins 
: Will he admit that a lower standard of underfloor insulation has been specified by this Government so that it can poorly insulate more homes for the same amount of money that it would have cost to do fewer homes properly; if not how does he justify lowering the insulation standards that approved providers are expected to meet? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: No. 
Rahui Katene 
: Can the Minister confirm that new money has been allocated to allow low-income households to benefit from the home insulation scheme as a result of the Maori Party’s relationship with National and what impact will that new money have over and above current allocations? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: Yes I can confirm that. It has previously been announced that discussions between the Maori Party and the National Government meant that a further $28 million was added to the fund bringing it up to almost $350 million that will be spent over the period of time. An extra 8000 low-income households will be warmer and drier as a result of that arrangement. The Maori Party has expressed its concern about that group of New Zealanders and the Government has recognised that. 
Chris Hipkins 
: How can he continue to claim that standards have not been lowered when the latest Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority guidelines suggest that homes previously fitted with foil underfloor insulation should have the foil repaired rather than replaced and when previously the authority had recommended against foil underfloor insulation because of “safety risks challenging installation dubious performance and possible lack of durability”; why is he cutting the corners? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: Simply because it is not new installation; it is repair of what is already there. 
John Boscawen 
: By how much is the Heat Smart home insulation scheme forecast to reduce the profits of New Zealand power companies and how does it compare with the billions of dollars of windfall profits that these same companies will receive under the emissions trading scheme from particularly low-income New Zealanders including Maori—or does he not know? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: One of the things that has become abundantly evident in the last few days is that all sorts of figures can be thrown into the mix when we come to discussing the emissions trading scheme and any figure that does get put into the mix will be widely disputed. The purpose of the home insulation scheme was to improve the health outcomes of New Zealanders. 
Hon Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s answer but I think he was asked what the reduction was and whether he did know what it was. What we got from the Minister was his saying that lots of numbers were being bandied around then restating the goals of the programme. I think the House can take that as his saying that he does not know but it was hardly answering the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I appreciate the point the member has raised but I think that when one considers the specificity of the question asked and the primary question that was laid down the chances of the Minister having that particular information would not be high. I think the Minister was indicating that he did not have that particular information. I cannot expect him to give more precise information on such a question. 
John Boscawen 
: By how much is the Heat Smart home insulation scheme set to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and how does it compare with the Government’s emissions trading scheme; if he does not know why have we been sitting under urgency to pass the emissions trading scheme? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: Firstly there were a number of aspects to that question and I think a complication of two very simple issues. I will answer the first one which was by how much the scheme will reduce the cost of home heating effectively. Was that the question? 
John Boscawen 
: No. 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: Oh by how much will it reduce greenhouse gases? 
John Boscawen 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister does not seem to have understood my question— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The easiest way to resolve the issue would be for the member to repeat his question. 
John Boscawen 
: By how much is the Heat Smart home insulation scheme set to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and how does it compare with the Government’s emissions trading scheme; if he does not know then why have we been sitting under urgency to pass the emissions trading scheme? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: The first point is that it would depend entirely on what sort of home heating appliance was being replaced under the scheme. When we have collected all the information on that we will be able to provide the member with a best estimate. On the matter of why we have been sitting under urgency to pass the Climate Change Response (Moderated Emissions Trading) Amendment Bill I take it that the ACT Party now wants to be party to our passing the bill and I look forward to it casting its vote accordingly.