Has Govt policy led to more homelessness? Chris Bishop says no | Q+A 2025

Housing Minister Chris Bishop rejects the idea the Government's tightening of emergency housing hasn't led to an increase in homelessness. That's despite organisations in Auckland and Wellington recording an increase in the number of rough sleepers.

Bishop also says he's "genuinely committed" to working with Labour and the Green Party on bipartisan planning laws.

Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

[AilsaPehi]

Serious homelessness and child poverty exploded under Key's National government. Luxon's National through Bishop doubled down to catch up with previous numbers and yanked homes for the poor because the addresses are too good as assets. Poor people will be placed in those private rentals, paying scandalous rents that taxpayers will top up via accommodation supplements, and landlords win again. Labour builds and raises assets for the investment in people and assets, and National pockets the profit and lines private companies wealth. This coalition absolutely disgusts me. I have no respect, loyalty, or confidence in these politicians.

[jtonline]

"based on what I see and hear around the place" out of everyone in the National Party shambles, you'd expect Chris Bishop to at least have some hard facts and figures

[conservativekiwi]

Nice to hear minimum requirements for appartments is being scrapped, I didn't want to live in a spacious place anyway, I love crapping when I eat and eating where I crap. Great work Bishop and National

[pm]

It’s worth mentioning that you are not eligible for WINZ benefit income if you do not have a permanent address….
Thus, if you are homeless…

[babbaiam]

We are being gaslit about numbers by old rich privileged men who will never be in a "poor" position. MSD "clients" have a clearly different view than the narrow minded approach of this govt. Tax income less, tax wealth more.

[robvanderveen]

not sure what Bishop is on about re the homeless. streets in Christchurch have desperate street people begging and living in cars everywhere, maybe he should just open his eyes i suppose he lives in some rose tinted fancy suburb.

[jtonline]

To be clear, something Jack didn't call Chris up on - 80% of people from emergency housing transitioned into better options that the Labour government built

[archexxe]

National kicked people off the emergency housing list and called that a "decrease" of people on the waiting list; this is what's contributing partly to the rise in homelessness that we're seeing amongst tanking the economy with a double recession. "Making NZers poorer since ages ago" - National 2026. O what's that? We would've had a state of the art ferry made by our friends in South Korea by next year 2026? Too bad national axed that for NO DEAL and NO BOATS! National makes bad decisions, acts stupid and spins bullshit to weasel their way out of accountability. Need better leaders than this.

[jtonline]

Those who benefit from it should pay for it is a nonsensical argument. If that were the case there would be practically no infrastructure development outside of Auckland, as most smaller regional towns couldn't afford to pay for their infrastructure needs.

[Grrrrowth]

It's the homeless people's fault for not contacting MSD... 😂 Victim blaming the homeless are we?

[mnanai-leota]

Hahaha bishop lost for words doing the bobble head move lol. Thank you Jack hold them accountable for their BS.

[korowheke]

The North Waikato/Pukekohe region is some of the most fertile land in the country, do we really want it all to be urbanised? Where will we get our vegetables?

[briboker]

There was virtually no sleeping rough homelessness in NZ before the mass selling off of public housing by the national-led government in 2008. By 2017 NZ topped the Yale list of developed countries with the most homeless. Yale University released a list of developed countries ranked on the number of homeless people per capita - which has New Zealand at the top, followed by the Czech Republic and Australia. It found about 40, 000 people are either living on the street, in emergency housing, or shelter. Now, 20% are on the street and growing.

[andymaafu]

I live in Fairfield chartwell Hamilton The homeless are everywhere outside our local shops. its scarey they ask for money and are abusing if you dont give😢😢😢😢

[Kiwiskirt]

Liar, I know of people who have tried to get help and been told they don't qualify. Chris is lying and he knows it. He keeps going on about those that do have homes and doesn't care about those that he's leaving out in the cold.

[Quentin-brkl]

We don't need a hand out Bishnock we need a hand up

[adsdft]

In the 1960s to 1984 National was government for 28 years but only built roads rather rail networks plus roads in Auckland. So issues of Auckland stem from National.

[adsdft]

Housing NZ ....so the current coalition will delay the number of dwellings being constructed. ( 1991 to 2017 Housing nz dwellings dropped by 2000 dwellings). However Labour increased the number of dwellings by 18, 000.

[johndonwood]

I'm starting to wonder how many of these problems actually originated in the Beehive rather than in society itself.

[peface]

Don't bother you're gonna be removed form parliament soon. One term govt!