Watch: Jacinda Ardern says she 'relishes' Simon Bridges' 'pesky' queries over housing

The pair engaged in a debate over KiwiBuild and state housing in Parliament's question time.

Jacinda Ardern says she "relishes" Simon Bridges’ "pesky" queries over housing targets as the pair clashed over KiwiBuild and state housing in question time today.

The exchange came after the National Party leader asked the Prime Minister about the Government's specific housing targets.

"Can we confirm there are no targets, or aims or measures, for state housing or KiwiBuild this term for her Government?" Mr Bridges said.

Ms Ardern then responded by claiming National had done nothing for housing while they were in office.

"I find this line of questioning rich given the last government refused to do anything about the fact that only five per cent of new houses were available in the affordable first home buyer category and their response was to do absolutely nothing."

During this, National MP Nick Smith was ejected from the House by the Speaker for loudly interjecting during the Prime Minister's response.

Mr Bridges then resumed his questioning saying, "are my questions asking for deliveries for targets and measures pesky for the Prime Minister?"

"No, I relish in them," Ms Ardern replied, drawing laughter from her side of the House.

The debate came after more than 1000 people joined the waitlist for a state house in the three months to December, taking the number waiting for public housing to 10,712.

That's an increase of 73 per cent, or 4530 households, over the same time a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development's Public Housing Quarterly Report out yesterday.

Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said "the hidden homeless" Labour warned about at the beginning of last year are continuing to come forward.

But Mr Twyford pointed out an extra 1658 public housing places have been made available in the past year, saying it's the biggest increase in state and community provided housing in a decade.

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