10. Question No. 10—Public HousingSIMON O'CONNOR (National—Tāmaki) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing)Question No. 10—Public Housing10. SIMON O'CONNOR (National—Tāmaki) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing): Does he stand by all his policies and statements?Hon KRIS FAAFOI (Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing)): Yes. In particular I stand by my statement to the Kapi-Mana News when I warned that National's plan to sell State houses in a fire sale would not lead to good outcomes for any of those tenants. At the time I underlined that—SPEAKER: Order! Order! I want an assurance that that was a statement as a Minister. Hon KRIS FAAFOI: No it was four years ago. SPEAKER: Well the member will resume his seat. Simon O'Connor: Does the Minister agree with the Government's removal of upfront funding for community housing providers and that it's meant 500 property developments are sitting idly gathering dust" as put forward by the Monte Cecilia Housing Trust? Hon KRIS FAAFOI: I agree with the policy. That policy change has meant that community housing providers around the country now have access to deal with the increasing demand that this Government inherited and the increasing waiting list. That has meant that not just in Auckland community housing providers can get access to that funding. Also areas like Northland like the Hawke's Bay like Rotorua and like Wellington that have extremely high demand for that housing get access to it too. It's meant we've been more flexible to more community housing providers. Simon O'Connor: How does the Minister make that statement when community housing providers such as Monte Cecilia are saying they do not have the funding to build the homes? Hon KRIS FAAFOI: It's quite easy because we've changed our policy in order to use that money to make it more available to housing providers not just in Auckland. We are making that money more available to help community housing providers—again nice and slowly—in the likes of Northland in the likes of Rotorua in the likes of Hawke's Bay and in the likes of Wellington where there is increasing need for demand as there is also in Auckland. Simon O'Connor: How does the Minister reconcile the claim of former housing Minister Phil Twyford that he wanted community housing groups to build 30 percent of new public houses planned by 2022 and the Government now withdrawing the funds to do so? Hon KRIS FAAFOI: I disagree that we've withdrawn the funds to do so. We've just made it more available to community housing providers across the country and I'm quite happy to give that member a list of 18 community housing providers up and down New Zealand who are making sure that they can provide for the increasing demand in areas other than Auckland. Simon O'Connor: What does the Minister have to say to 500 or more families stuck in motels and transitional housing who could have been tenanted if funding was not removed as put forward by community housing providers? Hon KRIS FAAFOI: I'd say to those people that we have put 3381 more community housing places in place since we've come into Government as opposed to the 1400 fewer public housing places that came about under the previous Government. I'm also proud that this Government in Budget 2018 committed to the building of 6400 more community housing places to deal with the increasing demand and the waiting lists that we inherited from a Government that sat on its hands and did nothing for nine years."