8. PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei) Link to this
to the Minister of Housing
Does he have confidence in Housing New Zealand Corporation; if so, why?
Hon CHRIS CARTERHow is it that a person can be allocated a State house in Māngere, and, at the same time, own a holiday home in Russell?
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I ask you to judge whether that is a fair answer, given that the Minister gave me that information yesterday with a cover letter.
Madam SPEAKER
Hon Phil GoffCan the Minister tell the House what reports he has seen on Housing New Zealand Corporation’s efforts to improve insulation and energy efficiency in State houses?
Members do want questions to be addressed. I would remind members that we want to hear the answers, please.
We have completed 14,000 energy retrofits since 2001. This is a subject that members of this House are very interested in. Last Friday, for example, a resident of McGehan Close in Mount Roskill told the corporation that she had been contacted by members of the National Party in Wellington who were interested in the insulation of her house. Previously she had been given a thermometer by National list MP Jackie Blue, who asked her to measure the temperature of her house. As all maintenance issues at this resident’s property are being addressed, she has informed the corporation that she will not respond to Jackie Blue’s request. I guess this is a vote of confidence in the corporation from one of our tenants.
How is it that a person not only can get away with owning a holiday home in Russell while having a State house but also can get away with not living in the State house, instead renting it out for a tidy profit to an unwitting family?
I am astonished to learn that that member claims he received a letter from me about this subject yesterday. I would like to sit down with him after question time, be shown this letter, and find out a bit more information about this case. It is really astonishing.
What action has the Minister taken to investigate Housing New Zealand Corporation over this scam, given that one of the neighbours has formally testified to the corporation that the tenant “gloated he knew someone in Housing; that is how he got the place.”?
Such alleged behaviour by a tenant would be totally inappropriate. I will be investigating it very carefully after question time.
Was the State house tenant ever prosecuted, and was an official investigation ever made into allegations that to pull off this scam the tenant had insider help from a Housing New Zealand Corporation mate?
All sorts of allegations can be made by all sorts of people. I can assure this House that I will be looking into this case very carefully, very quickly.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Tēnā koe, Madam Speaker. Kia ora tātou katoa. What response has the Minister made to the 2006 report called Māori Housing Experiences: Emerging Trends and Issues, carried out under contract to Housing New Zealand Corporation and Te Puni Kōkiri, which recommended that: “Māori capability in the housing sector should be better resourced so as to support the development of Māori collective initiatives.”?