3. Question No. 3—Housing (Social Housing)Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Labour—Kelston) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing)Question No. 3—Housing (Social Housing)3. Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Labour—Kelston) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing): Will the Government's new approach to emergency housing grants result in more New Zealanders living on the streets?Hon TAMA POTAKA (Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing)): Yes the Government's new approach is part of a wider response to end large-scale use of emergency housing and to get New Zealanders tamariki and whānau into homes faster.Hon Carmel Sepuloni: Has he received advice or evidence showing that New Zealanders who will no longer be able to access emergency housing special needs grants under this Government's new approach will all find housing and not end up living on the streets?Hon TAMA POTAKA: We receive advice on housing matters on a regular basis and the advice that we've received is that we will continue to focus on ending the large-scale use of emergency housing and getting whānau and tamariki into homes faster.Hon Carmel Sepuloni: Does he agree with the previous Minister for social development and Minister for Social Housing who introduced the emergency housing special needs grant Paula Bennett who stated This is the first time any Government has committed ongoing dedicated funding for emergency housing because we recognise that not everyone has access to a safe and stable home."; if yes why is he looking to reduce access to that support and pushing more New Zealanders back to sleeping in cars?Hon TAMA POTAKA: We recognise that there are many people with genuine needs that need emergency housing and we will continue to support those people with genuine needs to have emergency housing accommodation.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Can I ask the Minister as to whether or not he's received any reports that say his task now to solve this problem has been massively exacerbated by bringing in 148000 immigrants as at December last year?SPEAKER: No. Look you've got to stop doing this. It's not a fair question because it's not his responsibility. His responsibility is for emergency housing.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I asked has he got a report.SPEAKER: Well OK I probably didn't pick that up. The Minister may answer it.Hon TAMA POTAKA: I've not received any reports in that respect but there is a serious need and a genuine need amongst some whānau and tamariki to have emergency housing.Hon Carmel Sepuloni: Is it now this Government's strategy to make it harder to access emergency housing grants so as to reduce the number of New Zealanders in emergency housing on their books at the expense of more New Zealanders sleeping rough outside our businesses in our carparks and in our parks?Hon TAMA POTAKA: We need bold and radical solutions to end the housing crisis that has been exacerbated under the previous Government. We need to get the country back on track and particularly with housing and we will do that through a wide series of responses and steps one of which is prioritising the tamariki and whānau who have been sleeping in emergency accommodation for 12 consecutive weeks or more. Hon Carmel Sepuloni: Does he agree with the Minister for Social Development and Employment that—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Hang on stop. Your own side is speaking across the House while you're trying to ask a question. Please don't do it.Hon Carmel Sepuloni: Does he agree with the Minister for Social Development and Employment that "I am not saying that it is going perfect; what I am saying is that we will have fewer children in motels and that is what we are out to achieve." and if so is living on the streets more perfect than living in a motel?Hon TAMA POTAKA: I agree with my learned colleague the Minister for Social Development and Employment the member for Taupō in that we do need absolute radical and bold solutions for our housing crisis and it is tough for those folks and no one in this House wants to see whānau tamariki and mokopuna living in emergency housing for an extended period of time but that is what we have seen over the last six years.Hon Carmel Sepuloni: Will we see homelessness situations like that of West Auckland tetraplegic woman Tracey Penney who was living in her van in January 2017—it was widely reported on—arise again because of the changes to the treatment of homeless Ministry of Social Development clients?Hon TAMA POTAKA: Can I please reiterate that we will support those with genuine need to have emergency housing but our aspiration is to end the large-scale use of emergency housing particularly in places like Hamilton and Waikato where there are over 500 kids living in emergency housing right now."