The government is already facing criticism for its plan to get families with children out of emergency housing quicker.
The new plan will put whānau with children at the top of the social housing waitlist, with the goal of reserving emergency accommodation in motels to be a rarely used last resort.
But opposition parties say the government is pushing others in need further down a long waiting list.
About 3000 families are living in motels, 800 of them for twelve weeks or longer.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
