1. Question No. 1—Prime MinisterNICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Acting Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Prime Minister1. NICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Acting Prime Minister: Does he stand by the Prime Minister's statement that We need to be aspirational and have a plan but we also need to be disciplined and prioritise" and is he satisfied that the Government is delivering good outcomes for taxpayer money?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Acting Prime Minister): I do stand by the Prime Minister's statement particularly where she went on to say "Not all our commitments will be met in this budget. The past three years have demonstrated the benefits of careful management and targeted investment. Our strong position means we have an opportunity over time to bring down debt and put the Government's books on a path to surplus but our balanced approach will also see tens of billions of dollars opened up for investment into infrastructure over the coming decade so we don't leave the next generation with debt of another kind." In answer to the second part of the member's question yes including for example unemployment at its lowest levels since when the household labour force survey began levels of public debt amongst the lowest in the OECD the fact that we've lifted more than 66000 children out of poverty that we've seen reducing numbers of people on benefits that we've seen 190000 people go in to free apprenticeships and trade training and many more things. Things are tough for many households and businesses at this time and the Government is stepping up to support them.Nicola Willis: Was it the Government's aspirational plan to oversee an explosion in the number of New Zealanders being forced to live in emergency motels with a cumulative spend of $1 billion since his Government came to power?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Government's aspiration was to make sure that we didn't do what the National Party had done and allow children to be brought up in cars. We have made sure that we've invested in the largest ever State house building programme investing in building transitional housing and making sure we do actually provide support to people.Hon Scott Simpson: Bring back Jacinda!Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Of course we want to move to a situation where people have more of their own permanent housing. If only the previous Government had invested in building housing we might be able to do that now.SPEAKER: Order! Order! I just want to indicate in particular to Mr Simpson that his—he knows I think his interjection was out of order actually on two counts. He's a pretty experienced member and should know better.Nicola Willis: Is the Minister aware that this year Kāinga Ora the Government's State house builder has demolished more homes than it has built and is that a good outcome for taxpayers' money?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What I am aware of is that this Government has added more than 9000 public housing places and that stands in distinct contrast to the previous National Government who sold off State houses in the middle of a housing crisis.Nicola Willis: Can the Minister confirm that the State house waiting list has grown from fewer than 6000 people when National was in office to more than 27000 today on Labour's watch?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What I can confirm was that if the National Party had built housing at the rate that this Government is building housing we would not have the issue with the State house waiting list that we do. On this side of the House we build State houses we acquire State houses we improve State houses we insulate State houses; on that side of the House they sell them.SPEAKER: Before the member asks I'm just going to warn her that I probably shouldn't have let her get away with the last part of her last question. She will ask her questions within order. She knows what I mean.Nicola Willis: Does the Acting Prime Minister consider that the reason there are now more than four times as many people on the State house waiting list could be that rents have risen at a rapid rate under his Government up $50 a week on average in the past year alone?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I know that the problem that New Zealand's housing market faces consists of both supply and demand challenges. I also know that this Government has been addressing those on the demand side with a ban on foreign buyers on removing interest deductibility on extending the brightline test and on the supply side on building more houses. We have acknowledged that New Zealand has a housing crisis; the previous Government refused to acknowledge that and that's how we've ended up where we are.Nicola Willis: What good is it in acknowledging a housing crisis if the result is that last night 4500 children were put to bed in an emergency motel room?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On that member's party's watch those children were going to bed in cars. On this side of the House we have made sure that they are warm and dry. Of course we want them to be in more permanent and stable housing. That's why we are building more houses than any Government since the 1970s.Nicola Willis: Is it really credible for the Acting Prime Minister to claim that when National was in Government 4500 children were sleeping in cars or is it in fact the case that the Acting Prime Minister is trying to deflect from the most colossal failure of public policy ever seen by a New Zealand Government?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What I am saying to this House and to New Zealand is that they have a Government that is building more houses than any Government since the 1970s. Houses aren't built overnight and the member should know that being part of the party that sold off State houses does not put her in a position to lecture the Government about what needs to be done in social housing. We are getting on with the job of undoing the damage done by her Government.Nicola Willis: Does the Acting Prime Minister regret lecturing New Zealanders about KiwiBuild and how it would deliver 100000 homes to solve the housing crisis when in fact only 1300 have been built?SPEAKER: No—unless the member can show me evidence that the Acting Prime Minister did that. Further supplementary?Nicola Willis: I won't take a further supplementary. [Interruption]SPEAKER: I'll remind the member that's what got Mr Seymour in trouble yesterday."