Twyford PhilPHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū): I like the member Alfred Ngaro on a personal level—I really do; I really do. But it is really sad to see him wheeled out yet again to be an apologist for the most appalling policy positions that the National Government takes. He is the community-friendly face that is wheeled out to justify and to run interference against any bill any policy that might benefit the lives of working people in this country. His sole political function in the National Government is to run interference against anything that might improve the lives of working people that might give them more secure employment better quality housing higher wages more rights at work—you name it. Whatever the issue Alfred Ngaro will stand up and pretend to be concerned about the people whom he pretends to represent. I think that is really really sad if that is the political role that you play in this Parliament.Renters are now half the population of New Zealand—half the population. In Auckland it is even more than that. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place under this National Government's negligent reckless mismanagement of the housing crisis. They are facing Hobson's choice. They cannot afford to buy their own properties. They are locked out of the real estate market. Is it any wonder when today we read that in the last 3 years the number of homes that are valued at more than a million dollars has gone up fourfold from 59000 homes to 235000? Is it any wonder that we have the lowest rate of homeownership in 65 years? That is why renters are locked out of the housing market. They do not have a show under this National Government.But what is the alternative? It is a case of Can't live with it; can't live without it." They face a miserable insecure existence. They have very little security of tenure. Half the population of this country faces the prospect of being kicked out of their homes with 90 days' notice for no reason at all. The average tenancy—the average tenancy—is between 6 and 12 months. How can you raise a family or live a decent life with that level of insecurity? I cannot believe Alfred Ngaro can stand up in this House and with a straight face defend the existing laws and policies in this country. They are unworkable. They expose half the population of this country to a level of insecurity that is unconscionable. I applaud Metiria Turei for bringing this bill to this House.New Zealand is an outlier. We give fewer rights to renters than any other country in the OECD. New Zealand renters have such little security of tenure. They do not have the rights to make the most basic alterations to their properties. They can be faced with repeated severe rent rises. And people are really really hurting in the current rental market. In Auckland in the last 5 years the average rent went up by $5000—$5000 in 5 years. How can people survive? Metiria Turei's bill makes all the sense in the world. It is humane. It is decent. There are ideas in this bill—the idea of tenants having the first right of renewal when a tenancy expires; the idea of standard tenancy forms that will include a commitment to a certain formula for future rent rises; the idea of a default term of 3 years.Alfred Ngaro would try to reduce this debate to one of property rights of landlords to the rights of tenants. That is not how the world works. There are dozens of jurisdictions around the world that give rights to renters and that give them security of tenure. Has Alfred Ngaro spoken to the Property Investors Federation? He has not. He clearly has not because if he had he would know it is very interested in this bill and it is very supportive. Alfred Ngaro is to the right of the Property Investors Federation. That is how out of touch that member is."