Twyford Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTwyford Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 10 December 2013. Volume:695;Page:15360. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.PHIL TWYFORD (Labour—TeAtatū) to theMinister of Housing: Does he believe he is doing a good job of tackling housing demand for those most in need?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister of Housing): Yes because we are doing so much. We have passed two big housing bills this year. We have completed the insulation of 47000 State houses. We are adding 3000 bedrooms to existing State houses. We are now giving priority to families with rheumatic fever. We are funding 1100 new community social houses which is a record number. We are moving at pace to repair the 5000 State houses damaged in Christchurch. We have helped 3300 families through the Canterbury Earthquake Temporary Accommodation Service. We have built four temporary accommodation villages in Christchurch and we are building 700 new homes in Christchurch and 500 infill houses in Auckland.Phil Twyford: How can he claim his policies are working when the Child Poverty Monitor report shows that 18 percent of children are below the poverty line before housing costs are taken into account but a staggering 25 percent are below the poverty line after housing costs are taken into account or is it just their fault for being poor?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I would firstly point the member to the Massey UniversityHome Affordability Report which shows that housing affordability in 2008 was significantly worse than it is now. I would also point to the measures this Government has taken whereby every single State house will be insulated by the end of the year. That is something to celebrate. I point out that this Government is giving priority—for the first time ever giving direct priority—to families at risk of rheumatic fever to have access to State houses as part of the Minister of Health’s programme to reduce by two-thirds the incidence of rheumatic fever. They are the things that will make a real difference to child poverty.Phil Twyford: How does he explain that the number of children below the poverty line before housing costs has fallen by 15000 since 2007 yet the number below the poverty line after housing costs has increased by 25000 during the 5 years of his Government’s housing policies?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The first point I would make in respect of the poverty line is that it is set as a proportion of income. So if the income of the nation doubles somehow those people say that the basic income or definition of poverty shifts. That is not logical and shows it does not work. This Government is instead focused on the real things that will make a difference for families: getting children immunised insulating houses and providing national standards in education. They are the things that will make a real difference to children in New Zealand.Phil Twyford: Does he think that his housing policies have been a success when Government agencies are referring people to live in camping grounds and just this week a Christchurch woman with three children was forced to move into a tent in a public park; and how much more evidence does he need before he accepts there is a housing crisis and that his endless photo opportunities—Hon Gerry Brownlee: Tell the whole story. You’re a liar.Mr SPEAKER: Order!Phil Twyford: —will not solve the problem?Hon Clayton Cosgrove: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I can anticipate but I will hear from the Hon Clayton Cosgrove.Hon Clayton Cosgrove: I believe you may have heard the comment that Mr Brownlee made. That was totally out of order.Mr SPEAKER: It is. I ask the Hon Gerry Brownlee to stand withdraw and apologise.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I withdraw and apologise. The gentleman was—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! The member will now stand withdraw and apologise and add no more before sitting down.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I withdraw and apologise.Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: I will hear first from Grant Robertson.Grant Robertson: On numerous occasions in the House you have threatened people on this side of the House with being removed for what Mr Brownlee did on the first occasion. He then when I stood up to take my point of order repeated the infringement. You must ask him to leave the House if you are consistent in your rulings.Mr SPEAKER: Can I just clarify: is that the point of order that the member rose to take? Then on this occasion I am going to ask the Hon Gerry Brownlee to withdraw from the House. [Interruption] Order! The member will just withdraw from the House.Hon Gerry Brownlee withdrew from the Chamber.Hon Dr Nick Smith: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. When we were interrupted I had not answered the member’s question and I now ask for the opportunity—Mr SPEAKER: Well so much time has now gone by I ask the member to re-ask that question.Phil Twyford: Does he think that his housing policies have been a success when Government agencies are referring people to live in camping grounds and just this week a Christchurch woman with three children was forced to move into a tent in apublic park; and how much more evidence does he need before he accepts there is a housing crisis and that his endless photo opportunities will not solve the problem?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: It is not acceptable for a family to be permanently living in a tent although I could give numerous examples of when under the previous Government just that occurred. That was without 160000 homes being damaged in an earthquake and 14000 that are permanently lost. In respect of the family that the member refers to I visited her this morning. I am informed that she has been offered three homes: two from the private sector and one from the council. I am further advised that she has accepted the home that was closest to where her children are at school which should be welcome.Phil Twyford: How many days before the release of the Child Poverty Monitor report did Housing New Zealand remove the total number of people on the waiting list off its website and did he have a hand in this belated and crude attempt to hide the truth about his failed housing policies?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The numbers on the waiting lists are a matter of public record. I do note for that member that for all his talk about a crisis in housing the actual numbers on waiting lists are very similar to what they were in 2008 at a bit over 4000. I would also note that if you look at this Government’s programme of work in respect of the massive investment of $2.9 billion on State housing and look in terms of this programme of work with the Auckland Housing Accord the record new number of houses being built and the record 1100 houses that are being built with community social housing providers it just shows how much is being done.Louise Upston: Can he advise the House of what other reports he has received on improvements in housing?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The comprehensive measure of housing affordability comes from Massey University. I really would draw the attention of members opposite to that neutral measure of housing affordability which has shown that over the last 4 years there have been significant improvements.Hon David Parker: Is that for ownership or renting?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The single factor that I would bring to the attention of the member who is interjecting is that when Labour left Government interest rates were over 10 percent. They are currently at 5 percent and that makes a huge difference to the affordability of housing.