1. Question No. 1—Prime MinisterHon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Prime Minister1. Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government's statements policies and actions? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): As I have for roughly the last 25 or so times he's asked yes. Hon Simon Bridges: When was the last time hardship grant requests rose 71 percent in less than two years? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: If the member wishes to put questions around historical data on notice I'd be happy to answer them. SPEAKER: Order! There are a series of Speakers' rulings in this area. From memory they're around Speakers' rulings 174 or 175—I'm looking for help as to the exact numbers but I can remember my immediate predecessor being very specific in this area. Hon Simon Bridges: Is it the case that demand for hardship grants has never risen as fast as it has under her Government? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again if the member wishes to seek historical data by putting the question on notice I'd be more than happy to answer. But what is also unprecedented in this country would be the amount of investment that's gone into low-income and middle-income families as this Government has done. To run over just a couple of initiatives: the increase in the family tax credit which of course also goes to people on benefits; the winter energy payment which goes to people on benefits as well; the Best Start payment which is a universal child payment but also from zero to three years it increases the incomes for those families with young children and limited ability to go into work; and include in that as well the changes we made in the last Budget which will index main benefit increases to wages to stop that growth that we've seen under successive Governments—but particularly that one—all of which is lifting between 50000 and 74000 children out of poverty. We are increasing the incomes of those who need it the most because we recognise the need that exists and that includes supporting them when they walk through Work and Income's doors. Hon Simon Bridges: In light of the fact that Andrew Little called for Prime Minister Bill English's resignation when hardship grants went up 14 percent what's her excuse? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: That last Government saw an escalation with no plan with nothing that invested in those families nothing that increased their incomes and add to that no plan to increase public housing supply. This Government has increased public housing places. It has quadrupled the number of State houses that are being built. It has rolled out Housing First and an additional 1000 places for those in chronic homelessness. Where we see need we not only support those in need; we have a plan to deal with the systemic issues driving it. We have always said that the need will grow in the intervening period and that is exactly what we're seeing but we have a plan to address it. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Is the Prime Minister saying that it's going to take a little time to turn an inherited wallowing ship of State around? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I absolutely am and whilst we as a Government came in and made the first most important step of stopping the sale of State houses which was contributing to the problem we also of course have to get on with increasing supply. That takes time which is why in the intervening period we've said to those who are in need to come to Work and Income. We have support there ready to be provided and we will meet the need and we won't change the criteria of waiting lists to hide the problem. Hon Simon Bridges: Does she accept that under her watch rents have risen $50 a week higher petrol taxes have increased the cost of filling up the family car and the average Kiwi is now paying—SPEAKER: Order! Order! I'm going to refer the member to Speaker's ruling 175/4 and ask him to rephrase his question. Hon Simon Bridges: Does she accept rents petrol prices and indeed taxes have all gone up under her watch making it harder and contributing to that hardship grant going up 71 percent under her watch? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: No. I refer to my earlier questions where the cumulative effect of things like the Families Package means hundreds of thousands of families will be $75 a week better off. When it comes to the issue of rent I will remind the member that while National was in office rents went up on average roughly $100 per week over that period of time. Rents do increase. What we want to see—Hon Simon Bridges: Point of order. SPEAKER: A point of order—Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Mr Speaker if I could finish my answer. SPEAKER: No no. The member has a right to ask for a point of order now. Hon Simon Bridges: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. You referred me to the Standing Orders and I deeply appreciate that. There's also multiple Standing Orders that make it clear that speakers when answering questions shouldn't refer back to a previous Government's record without good reason. SPEAKER: The member will resume his seat. When the member asks such a general first question—Hon Simon Bridges: Oh this is all fine! SPEAKER: The member will stand withdraw and apologise. Hon Simon Bridges: I withdraw and apologise. SPEAKER: The Prime Minister can start her answer again. Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I was going to leave this until the end of the question but we are now interrupted. The point of order I wish to raise with you is the validity of the question that was asked by the Deputy Prime Minister. If you look at that later I'm sure you'll find that it will not meet the standard of the Standing Order that you are currently applying today. SPEAKER: Well I think it meets it about as much as most of the other supplementary questions we've had today. Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Mr Speaker if I could continue with that final reference then to at least the last decade where of course we did see rent increases over that period the goal of this Government is to address the primary issue which drives rent increases which is lack of supply which explains of course why in areas like Clutha we've seen a decrease in rents over that period. In Christchurch it's gone up by about $4 and in Auckland by about $12. I will note however that in Auckland rents over the last year have risen by about 2 percent which is the lowest annual rise since 2011. Hon Simon Bridges: Can she name a single time in the history of New Zealand when rents have gone up 52 bucks a week in 20 months? SPEAKER: Order! Order! That is an area where the Prime Minister certainly doesn't have responsibility according to the tight rules as requested by Mr Brownlee. Hon Simon Bridges: Does she accept that her Government's policies have led to a 230 percent increase in the cost of emergency housing grants in the last year alone? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: No. I accept that the last Government's policies have meant that we are picking up the pieces of complete under-investment and neglect particularly of those on low incomes. Hon Chris Hipkins: Can the Prime Minister confirm that there would be less need for emergency housing grants if the previous Government had built enough houses to ensure that there would be housing for people who needed them? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Absolutely—Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Surely if Mr Bridges can't ask a question of the Prime Minister about a time in New Zealand then we can't have a question from Mr Hipkins along those lines either. SPEAKER: Well I think asking a general question which goes back over all periods of time is clearly out. But I will refer the member to Speaker's ruling 159/2 which says In respect of the activities of the previous Government which the Minister has had to confront as the Minister in this Government I believe it is legitimate for the Minister to make comment on those although the Minister can be tested on the accuracy of what he or she says." I think that's certainly the essence of this question. Again this is a ruling from my predecessor bar one Dr Lockwood Smith. Hon Gerry Brownlee: That's correct sir and you point to a very interesting Speaker's ruling. But it does require that there is something specific about it; it doesn't require that the Prime Minister answers to an assertion. It does actually require that there was something in the past that is now being confronted by the Prime Minister. To simply say "Can she assume" is not a reasonable way to ask the question. SPEAKER: I'm going to ask Chris Hipkins to repeat his question because I thought it actually fitted right into the Standing Orders. If he can remember it he gets to ask it again. Hon Chris Hipkins: I'll give it a go. Can she confirm that there would be less need for homelessness grants or support for people who are homeless if the previous Government had built enough houses to provide housing for all those who need it? SPEAKER: My ruling is that that fits absolutely under Speaker's ruling 159/2. Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Yes. In fact whether it's issues of rent emergency housing grants or homelessness it all comes back to the core issue of a lack of supply. Not only did we have a previous Government who did not address that issue but they in fact started to sell State houses and did not do enough to address the significant housing need. In fact we are still having to use motels to house people in emergency situations whilst we try and rapidly build and create transitional housing. Hon Simon Bridges: Is it the case that under National the number of emergency housing grants declined due to the 3200 State houses that the Government built which was over 1000 more than the previous Labour Government ever built? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Look I can't confirm that. I know—Hon Members: Oh! Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: No I simply cannot. I also know that some of the criteria—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! That's enough. I wouldn't mind actually hearing the answer although I'm now regretting allowing the question to go on because it was out of order. Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Actually what I can say is that I do know that some of the criteria—at least for those who were seeking housing—were changed to mean that large numbers of people were simply moved off housing lists. That is exactly what happened under the last Government so I don't believe—Hon Dr Nick Smith: Rubbish—just not true. Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: —that necessarily the numbers were a clear reflection of the need that existed at that time. SPEAKER: The member has been warned about making that statement in the past. Dr Smith will stand withdraw and apologise. If he repeats the statement he will leave the House. Hon Dr Nick Smith: I withdraw and apologise. Hon Simon Bridges: Isn't the fact of the matter that every single metric that matters to New Zealanders doing it tough is getting worse under her watch in only 20 short months? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Absolutely not. Not only are wages going up not only have we quadrupled the number of State houses and not only have we increased the family tax credit for those in the worst of circumstances but we have increased the minimum wage and benefits—and that Opposition voted against that. I absolutely push back against any suggestion that we have our eye on anything other than supporting those New Zealanders who need it most. Hon Simon Bridges: Does talk of kindness ring hollow when benefits are up when hardship grants are up when emergency housing grants are up when rents are up when petrol prices are up and when those at the bottom are doing it tougher than they have in quite a long time? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Those numbers that the member referred to in the beginning are a reflection of a Government that doesn't turn people away. SPEAKER: Ibid. Hon Simon Bridges: So question No. 2 Mr Speaker? SPEAKER: Yes. Hon Simon Bridges: Thank you."