8. PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei) Link to this
to the Minister of Housing
How often are Housing New Zealand Corporation houses routinely inspected?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) Link to this
As a responsible landlord the corporation is committed to ensuring its rental properties are looked after and kept in order. As a matter of procedure the corporation inspects properties twice a year, or more frequently if required. Properties are also inspected after the end of each tenancy and before the beginning of a new one.
How was a South Auckland tenant able to rent out a State house in its entirety for 4 years and live elsewhere, without the scam being detected by routine inspections?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I will come back to the general question in a moment, but I say to the member that if he has a particular case it is always useful to put the case down so he can have it answered particularly. But, in general, the subletting of State houses is not tolerated by the corporation. Where there are allegations of it they are investigated and appropriate action is taken. There are 66,000 tenants. Most tenants are good tenants, but occasionally there are people who do things that are abusive. For example, 26 allegations of subletting are under investigation around the Panmure region at the present time, but, as in many cases, it turns out that those will result in some being upheld; others will be the kinds of allegations that are made between neighbours who are in dispute. But the member can be reassured that it is the corporation’s business to ensure our properties are treated fairly.
Russell Fairbrother Link to this
How often were State houses inspected in the 1990s under National Governments?
Madam SPEAKER
Hon Maurice Williamson Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. That question was very clear. The member asked the Minister how often the corporation’s houses were inspected in the 1990s under a National Government. He did not ask about any report or about anything comparative. There is no ministerial responsibility for something that occurred under a previous Government last century that is not related to this Minister.
I am sorry to inform the member that there is ministerial responsibility if it is in the portfolio, even if it is in the past. Would the Minister please address the question.
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Properties were inspected twice a year. In other words, the previous National Government ran a very similar regime to inspections that are carried out today. There is only one difference: National had fewer houses to inspect, because it sold 13,000 of them.
Pita ParaoneNotwithstanding the state of repair of houses under the responsibility of the Housing New Zealand Corporation, does the Minister believe that the Housing New Zealand Corporation’s needs-based allocation policy should look after the needs of New Zealand citizens first and foremost; if not, why not?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Yes, it should look after the needs of New Zealanders first, with one exception. We agreed to take people into the country who arrive as refugees from places like camps across the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. We agreed to take those people and settle them, and they reside in State houses.
Bob ClarksonWhy was another South Auckland tenant able to rent out an entire State house for a full 2 years, and a Hutt Valley tenant able to rent out a State house for well over a year, without being detected by the inspectors?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Particular cases like that of course are investigated. I give the answer again that subletting of houses is not tolerated by the corporation. There are 66,000 tenants. They are routinely investigated, and where we have complaints the Housing New Zealand Corporation ensures that there is not the abuse of public property that subletting would imply.
For what reason did the Housing New Zealand Corporation decide that the tenant who illegally rented out a State house for 4 years was allowed to reoccupy the house, following the discovery of the scam?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
In the case of people who are in need of housing—I do not know the exact circumstances of this case—when I was the Minister of Housing I was often placed in a position where those people simply have nowhere else to go. I am sure Mr Heatley will know from reading the law that the Housing New Zealand Corporation is the only agency required to house people who have nowhere else to go. That may be the explanation.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. The Minister tried to weave himself out of the question by referring to when he was the Minister of Housing. Of course, this person was subletting for 4 years. That was way back when the Minister was the Minister of Housing.
Does the Minister expect the public to believe his statement in this Chamber last year that such subletting scams were “extremely rare”, given that we now know that 23 recent subletting scams were happening right under the Housing New Zealand Corporation’s nose and that routine inspections were not even picking them up, so he would not have a clue whether these cases were rare?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I am sure the Minister of Housing would stand by that statement. As I mentioned before, there are 66,000 tenants. No one tolerates subletting. Where we find it, those tenants are dealt with as they ought to be. What I mentioned before is worth Mr Heatley taking into account. Allegations are often raised, but not necessarily proven, because people are in dispute.
I seek leave to table an admission of the Housing New Zealand Corporation to the Social Services Committee about 23 proven subletting scams that have occurred recently—most rorts spanning well over 6 months.