Doocey Matt: Social Housing Reform (Transaction Mandate) Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDoocey Matt: Social Housing Reform (Transaction Mandate) Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 16 February 2016. Volume:711;Page:9003. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri): It is a pleasure and honour to rise in support of the second reading of the Social Housing Reform (Transaction Mandate) Bill. I would just like to comment on that last contributor Denis O’Rourke who spoke constantly about ideology which I thought was slightly ironic from a member of a party that has no ideology other than what its party leader tells it.This bill is not about ideology. It is about pragmatism it is about listening to the sector involved and it is about listening to vulnerable New Zealanders. That is what this Government does so well. We are only a few days into the sitting calendar and here we are supporting the increased provision of social housing. Just like the increased provision of GP care to under-13s the raising of parental leave from 16 to 18 weeks and the increasing of benefits by $25 a week on 1 April it is because this Government cares about vulnerable New Zealanders. Opposition members will tell you they care but they are the ones stuck in ideology. They are the ones who have a litany of failed social policies. We do not mind thinking and thinking and thinking and then thinking: “What works?”. What we know is that the Government does not need to be the sole provider of State housing and that is what this bill does. It allows the Minister of Finance and the housing Minister to have the mandate to transfer the assets to the social housing sector and it was very clear from the number of submissions we got—Richard Prosser: Who else? Who but the State can provide State housing?MATT DOOCEY: Mr O’Rourke can speak as much as he wants and so can Mr Prosser. They were not at the Social Services Committee; we were. We had only 11 submissions. The sky did not fall in and actually I agreed with all those submissions because they fundamentally said that we need more social housing. Where we disagree is that I believe we can develop a mixed economy of social housing: the Government—which will always be the primary provider—social housing community housing and it just goes on and on.Richard Prosser: Sounds like ideology.MATT DOOCEY: You see when you look at the statistics—and you might want to listen to this Mr Prosser—that currently in Housing New Zealand the demand for one-bedroom units is 25 percent whereas the supply is 9 percent. For Housing New Zealand three-bedroom units the demand is 24 percent whereas the supply is 43 percent. It is very clear. What we need is the right house of the right size at the right time and in the right location going to the right people. That is what this social housing reform will provide. We know that many in social housing have complex needs and by bringing in community housing providers we are providing wraparound services to people to support them in becoming more productive and gaining the lives that we want. So I say well done to this Government for stepping up and supporting vulnerable New Zealanders.This bill is not only about supporting vulnerable people. What we want to ensure is that anyone who wants to access social housing is able to. We know that there are thousands on the list waiting and ones who want to transfer as well and that is why I support this bill and commend it to the House. Thank you.