12. Question No. 12—Housing (Public Housing)NICOLA WILLIS (National) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing)Question No. 12—Housing (Public Housing)12. NICOLA WILLIS (National) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing): When if ever have there been more people on the public housing register waiting to be housed than there were in the official figures for March 2021 and by what date will she commit to a reduction in the number of people waiting to be housed?Hon POTO WILLIAMS (Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing)): The waiting list reflects the strong emphasis we have placed on people coming forward and telling us if they need housing support. As the member has said our housing challenges have built up over successive Governments and if you look back on the graph about when—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! Order! I'm just going to say I'd like the Leader of the Opposition who's been pretty loud today just to wind it back as an example especially to a couple of people not very far away from her—no not Dr Reti—who are making quite a lot of noise today. I think this is an area which the Opposition would like to continue their questioning on.Hon POTO WILLIAMS: Thank you Mr Speaker. As the member has said our housing challenges have built up over successive Governments and if you look back on the graph about when it all started going badly wrong that was about 1991. The wait-list is the largest it's been which is why the Government has committed to the largest public housing build programme in decades with over 18000 additional public and transitional homes to be built and delivered by 2024. I will not be committing to a specific date for a reduction. Instead I'm committed to our build programme which the member has acknowledged gets it right.Nicola Willis: What responsibility if any does she take for the State house waiting list more than quadrupling since Labour came to office?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: What I do accept is that if the National Party in Government had built the numbers of houses that were required we wouldn't be in the state that we are in. If they had even just built 6000 houses our housing register waiting list would not be as high as it is. There's no doubt that there is more to do and that's why we have committed to building 18000 public and transitional houses. I'm very supportive of that programme as is the member herself.Nicola Willis: Why has the number of people classified as having the highest possible housing risk leapt from three in December 2017 to 198 today and does she think it's acceptable that those at-risk people will now spend an average six months on the waiting list?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: It's not acceptable that our people have to wait and that's why this Government is investing billions in the public housing programme. We're on track to fund and deliver over 18000 new public and transitional houses. If I could just refer to that member's own comment that she herself would stick to the State housing build programme of this current Government.Nicola Willis: Can she confirm that most of the new public housing spaces her Government claims to have created are not new builds but instead are existing homes that have been taken out of the private market for use as State housing—Hon Paul Goldsmith: Tell me it's not true!Nicola Willis: —and how does that help solve New Zealand's housing shortage?SPEAKER: The member had better apologise to his colleague pretty quickly.Hon POTO WILLIAMS: Mr Speaker—SPEAKER: No. Order! Mr Goldsmith's going to stand withdraw and apologise.Hon Paul Goldsmith: I withdraw and apologise.Hon POTO WILLIAMS: I absolutely reject the premise of that member's question.Hon Dr Megan Woods: Has the member heard any alternative plans from any other organisations about how to solve the issue of having more public houses in New Zealand or is she going on the Opposition spokesperson's comment on TV this week: I'd stick to the State house building programme [of this current] Government"?Chris Bishop: Point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister has no responsibility for Opposition spokespeople's statements.SPEAKER: That's true but there's a question of whether she was going to use an alternative to it or not.Hon POTO WILLIAMS: I have not heard of any alternatives. In fact the only alternative I have heard is that that member has said that she would stick to the State house building programme currently in progress.Nicola Willis: Was she advised that the Government's new housing tax policies could increase the number of people on the housing register and in emergency housing and if so why is the Government pressing ahead with this change at a time of record State housing waiting lists?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: We were very clear in our housing policy that we preference first-home buyers and there is no evidence to suggest that people are being disadvantaged in accessing the public housing waiting list as a result of that. I refute what the member says and I would encourage the member to keep supporting the Government in its housing build programme."