9. Social Housing Associate Minister—Statements on Homelessness and CommentaryCARMEL SEPULONI (Labour—Kelston) to the Associate Minister for Social HousingSocial Housing Associate Minister—Statements on Homelessness and Commentary9. CARMEL SEPULONI (Labour—Kelston) to the Associate Minister for Social Housing: Does he stand by his statement The Government takes its responsibility around homelessness seriously"; if so why did he say some of the media were manufacturing a crisis?Hon ALFRED NGARO (Associate Minister for Social Housing): Yes I do stand by my statement that we take our responsibility for homelessness seriously.Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is a second part to the question. There are two parts to the question. The Minister has addressed the first part not the second part.Hon ALFRED NGARO: Yes I do stand by my statement that we take our responsibility for homelessness seriously. That is why last year we committed $354 million for emergency transitional housing the first time any Government has invested in the sector. We are on track to have by the end of June 1598 of these transitional housing places available at any one time. This will help around 6392 families a year. In Auckland we are on track to deliver 621 houses. This will support 2484 Auckland families a year. Also I apologise for my statements that I have made.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. As with yesterday this was a primary question on notice and it asked why he said that some of the media were manufacturing a crisis. Whilst he had a long answer he did not address the second part of the question. Mr SPEAKER: The question has not been addressed. It is a question on notice. The way forward is that I am going to invite Carmel Sepuloni to start the question again. There are two very definite parts to the question if there is an affirmative to the first part of the question. With questions to Ministers they have got plenty of time to prepare and they should be able to answer questions. Carmel Sepuloni—to start question No. 9 again. Carmel Sepuloni: Does he stand by his statement "The Government takes its responsibility around homelessness seriously"; if so why did he say some of the media were manufacturing a crisis?Hon ALFRED NGARO: Yes I do stand by my statement that we take our responsibility for homelessness seriously. In regard to the second part I have apologised for my comments.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The second part of the question asked him why he made the comment. He may regret it and he may have apologised for it but it does not explain—he did not answer—why he made that comment.Hon Simon Bridges: I think that in apologising clearly the inference is that he was wrong in making it and that is the reason for that second limb. [Interruption] Mr SPEAKER: Order! I do not accept the final point made by the Hon Simon Bridges. We have now had two attempts. At the end of the time I am not responsible for the answers that Ministers give. My duty here is to attempt strongly to get an answer that addresses the question. I do not think it has been addressed. We have had two goes at it. The way forward is I will allow Carmel Sepuloni two additional supplementary questions as she proceeds through her supplementary questions.Carmel Sepuloni: Why did the Associate Minister say that the media were manufacturing a crisis with regard to the housing crisis we face as a country? Hon ALFRED NGARO: I regret the comments that I have made and I have apologised for those comments.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. An apology does not negate a Minister's requirements to answer why he made a comment. Mr SPEAKER: I am going to invite Carmel Sepuloni to repeat the supplementary question for the benefit of the Minister. Carmel Sepuloni: Why did he say that the media were manufacturing a crisis with reference to the housing issues we are facing as a country?Hon ALFRED NGARO: I regret the comments that I have made. I made them ill-informed I regret those comments and I do apologise for them.Carmel Sepuloni: Just answer it. Mr SPEAKER: It was answered on that occasion.Carmel Sepuloni: Has the Minister apologised for his comments about the media manufacturing a crisis because he recognises now that he was wrong that the media have not manufactured a housing crisis and that in fact his Government is responsible entirely for it? Hon ALFRED NGARO: I own my own comments. I do apologise for them. They were ill-informed and I have apologised for those comments that I made.Carmel Sepuloni: Is he aware that the number of people on the social housing register classified as homeless has doubled in a year; if so does he apportion the blame for this to (a) John Campbell and the media (b) Alan Johnson and the Salvation Army or (c) his Government?Hon ALFRED NGARO: I refer the member to the announcement made by my colleague Minister Adams earlier this month which shows that our hard work is coming to fruition. We now have secured 870 places which will increase emergency housing places by 133 in under 2 months. We have more coming on board all the time. In fact we are on track to have 1600 places available by winter. That will help around 17000 people this winter.Carmel Sepuloni: When he met with Alan Johnson from the Salvation Army was his intention to discuss and seek advice on the significant homelessness issue or was it to soften him up to prevent him from speaking out on the Government's inaction in respect of an increasing number of homeless New Zealanders?Hon ALFRED NGARO: I have met with a number of community groups community housing providers along with the Salvation Army and the work that has been ongoing in my role and responsibility as the Minister is to continue to engage with the likes of the Salvation Army. Our conversations were about the work that we are progressing in partnership together with each other.Carmel Sepuloni: When he met with Alan Johnson from the Salvation Army was he trying to prevent its policy unit from "running riot and saying all sorts of things" such as "the number of houses proposed does not appear to be sufficient to meet existing and projected demands." when talking about the Government's embarrassing housing announcement?Hon ALFRED NGARO: We have continued to have a strong working relationship with the Salvation Army. There is representation from a number of groups—the external focus group is one—and we are working with a number of senior executives and getting their input into the partnership strategies that we have collectively together.Carmel Sepuloni: Was the 110 percent increase in the last year in the number of homeless New Zealanders on the social housing register his motivation for the Government to "push back against some of the media"; if not what was his motivation for that attack?Hon ALFRED NGARO: I am proud of the work that this Government has been doing. We have also been piloting a Housing First initiative in order to address the issues around homelessness. We have been working in partnership with a number of community groups in Auckland. This is an internationally recognised model that helps rough sleepers by putting them into safe secure and stable accommodation and then providing wraparound services to address these issues.Carmel Sepuloni: When he said that the controversy last year over people having to live in cars and on park benches was from "an Opposition that chooses to use their constituents for political fodder" was he implying that constituents like the Fa'avale family living under a tarpaulin or Tracey Penny a tetraplegic mother living with her family in a modified van should have just waited patiently for Government support that was never coming?Hon ALFRED NGARO: I am proud that the Government since last July has introduced the emergency housing special needs grant which pays for accommodation for those who have nowhere else to go. Over the first 6 months it was available we have helped over 4500 households and again we are the first Government to step up and offer this kind of help to those who are most in need.Carmel Sepuloni: I seek leave to table an unpublished report from the Parliamentary Library showing a 110 percent increase in the last year in the number of homeless New Zealanders on the social housing register.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular information prepared by the Parliamentary Library. Is there any objection to it being tabled? There is objection."