The answer to desperate families living in emergency motels or simply sending them to another virtual waiting room?
The coalition government is setting up what it calls a "Priority One" category, that will see families with children, who have been living in emergency accommodation for at least 12 weeks, jump to the top of the social housing wait list.
It means they'll leap frog others on the list who may have been waiting much longer.
Right now, emergency housing is costing tax payers abut 340 million dollars a year.
The government said there will also be increased scrutiny and a strengthened verification process for people applying for emergency accommodation.
Associate housing minister Tama Potaka speaks to Lisa Owen.
