Chadwick Steve: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Chadwick Steve: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:627;Page:22005] 
STEVE CHADWICK (Labour—Rotorua) 
: 
 Housing is one of the iconic brands of the Labour Government and I am really proud of the initiatives we have undertaken since Labour has been in Government. I came in in 1999. We were selling our Housing New Zealand stock in Rotorua. It was disappearing underneath our very eyes to private landlords who were then in turn charging exorbitant rentals to poor families. 
However only last Friday I went to look at our urban renewal project in Rotorua run by Housing New Zealand in Fordlands which is a very deprived area in Rotorua. It is incredibly exciting. The whole community has come alive. What are they doing? They are doing up their houses retrofitting their houses and 36 houses have been retrofitted by Housing New Zealand. The children living in those houses which were once overcrowded have not been admitted to hospital this winter with bronchiolitis pneumonia and asthma. Parents have said that this is simply the most profound thing this Labour Government has done for their families and their children. This is not only about the houses that they live in. It is about putting the heart back into the homes of families and poor families around New Zealand. 
I also saw urban renewal in Te Whaiti a rural aspect in my community—a very remote village. All the houses there are being renewed by Housing New Zealand with “sweat equity” going into the retrofitting of the houses. Those people unbelievably are also losing weight. One might ask what on earth that has to do with urban renewal but they are coming alive. They have a reason to live. They have pride restored and self-esteem in terms of doing up their homes. They are all going off to the primary health organisation for cheap doctors’ visits and have decided they will lose weight. Twenty-three of the families in Te Whaiti are now doing adult education—they are going to better themselves. This all came about because of this Government’s housing policy and I am so proud of it. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Who wrote this? 
STEVE CHADWICK 
: The other thing we are seeing happening at home is that groups like Women’s Refuge—and Maurice Williamson might know something about Women’s Refuge—are now getting help from the innovation fund to find accommodation to help women to restore them back to their families and to give them decent housing for the first time. 
The other innovation fund project that is being led jointly with our district council is to find homes for the homeless. Housing New Zealand is working with the innovation fund to find a suitable house in order to flush out those poor desperate people who are living on the streets in poverty and to get them decently housed in a house for the homeless to be run by the trust. 
That is innovation. That is this Government going out on a limb for people in our communities and people do not forget that. They have not forgotten about the ability to have pride in the home in which they bring up their children and their families. So this is not just about income-related State housing; it is about putting the hearts back into communities. That is what this Government cares about. 
It cares about student debt too with the announcement made today which is huge. Children are now saying: “I’m not going to be indebted forever. I can afford to start to save for my own home.” and that is another KiwiSaver scheme. Today I phoned three of my children who have student debt. They said: “Mum we can now look forward to saving for our own home through KiwiSaver.” I say: “Well done this Government.” 
Vote agreed to.