[Sitting date: 04 December 2014. Volume:702;Page:5. Text is subject to correction.]

4. PHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū) to the Minister for Building and Housing : Does he stand by his statement “I am open to having more information on overseas ownership, but I do not favour a register”; if so, why?

Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister of Local Government) on behalf of the Minister for Building and Housing : Yes, and he stands by the full statement, which I think answers the second part of the question. The Minister is open to having more information on overseas ownership but he does not favour a register. For it to be accurate it would need to trace not only the 80,000 houses per year that are sold but the 1,000,000 - plus people who come and go from New Zealand. That is because a significant number of overseas homeowners are people who are in the process of gaining residency and for the register to be accurate it would need to raise people’s immigration and residency status.

Phil Twyford : Does he still think that a register of foreign buyers is crude and xenophobic now that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance think it is an idea that is worth looking at?

Hon PAULA BENNETT : What the Minister of Finance said yesterday was perfectly in line with what I said, which is that we are open-minded about whatever gives us more information. That is certainly what the Minister of Finance said as well. I noticed that the Minister of Finance also stated the point that the problem, particularly with the Auckland market, is that there is not enough supply and to free up supply we need to look at the land that is available, we need to look at local government’s rules and regulations as to how we are issuing consents and freeing up land, and that, without a doubt, would have the biggest influence on house prices.

Phil Twyford : Will he advise the Minister of Finance what he told the House that a foreign buyers’ register would be a waste of money and would cost many millions of dollars, now that the Minister of Finance thinks it is an idea worth considering?

Hon PAULA BENNETT : Obviously the member is having trouble understanding, so what I would say is that the Minister of Finance—[Interruption]

Mr SPEAKER : Order! Again, it is an example of the disorder that can be created with an answer from the Minister. Would the Minister address the question as asked.

Hon PAULA BENNETT : So what happened was that, actually, the member—[Interruption ] Oh, that is rather—

Hon Member : I hope that was on tape. c Hon PAULA BENNETT : Yes, I hope that is, because that is not really nice towards—

Mr SPEAKER : Order! Answer the question, please.

Hon PAULA BENNETT : So—[Interruption] Yes, I am sure you would do that to a man, would you not. So, what I would like to say is that, actually, the Minister of Finance, as I have already stated, was quite clear that he is not calling for a register. He is saying more information is good. I think we all agree on that. But what we do not think is that it is the main reason we have house prices where they are.

Phil Twyford : Supplementary question. [Interruption]

Mr SPEAKER : Order! I have not called the member yet. [Interruption] Order! [Interruption] Order! Comments coming from both sides have not been helpful, I accept that. I am now calling Phil Twyford to ask a supplementary question.

Phil Twyford : Now that his Government is open to the idea of a register of offshore speculators, will he also listen to what New Zealanders are saying and adopt the policy of the Australian Parliament and the New Zealand Labour Party restricting residential property ownership to residents and citizens?

Hon PAULA BENNETT : Well, as we have seen, it does not work in Australia. What we are more interested in is increasing supply of both affordable houses and others so that we can see those New Zealanders who want access to the market have access to it, and that is actually working alongside local government making sure we have got the Resource Management Act in the right place and that is this Government’s focus.

Phil Twyford : Why did it take an Australian parliamentary committee and a press release from Andrew Little to change the Government’s mind when the Reserve Bank had already called for the collection of more data, all the Opposition parties in this House called for controls on offshore speculators, and 83 percent of New Zealanders asked for a register; or is this just a poll-driven recognition that that Government’s housing policy has failed and has become an electoral liability? The member can try to rewrite the words of the Minister of Finance yesterday, but they are not factual, what the member has said. We stand by what we have said. We stand by where we are, and we are interested in seeing New Zealanders have better access to affordable housing in Auckland.

Rt Hon Winston Peters : In the light of that Minister’s answer I move—

Mr SPEAKER : Order! Is this a point of order or a supplementary question?

Rt Hon Winston Peters : Yes it is. In the light of the Minister’s answer, I move for the register for foreign ownership bill that is in my name be pulled from the ballot and debated right now.

Mr SPEAKER : Order! The member has been here a long time. He needs to seek leave to do that.

Rt Hon Winston Peters : I have.

Mr SPEAKER : Order! The member needs to do things properly.

Rt Hon Winston Peters : Sorry, Mr Speaker. My apologies. I seek leave, in light of the epiphany that the Minister has just expressed on behalf of the Government, for the bill standing in my name to be pulled from the ballot and debated by Parliament right now.

Mr SPEAKER : Order! I will put the leave, and the House will decide. Leave is sought for that particular course of action. Is there any objection? There is objection.

ENDS

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