12. PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei) Link to this
to the Minister of Housing
Does the Housing New Zealand Corporation keep accurate referral records sufficient to allow her to categorically rule out corporation referrals to the “squalid” Kotoku (Kiwiana) and Abiru boarding houses in Māngere; if not, why not?
Hon MARYAN STREET (Minister of Housing) Link to this
I am advised that the Housing New Zealand Corporation does not keep referral records. I have been further advised by the corporation that the Māngere neighbourhood unit has a referral practice, and those two lodges are not on its referral list.
How, then, can the Minister stand by her adamant statement last week that the corporation does not and did not refer clients to those lodges, given that the corporation does not keep accurate records on referrals to private accommodation?
Hon MARYAN STREET Link to this
Because I have asked the corporation. The corporation has undertaken an investigation. The results of that investigation give me confidence that the advice I was given last week applies today.
So is the Minister saying categorically that the Housing New Zealand Corporation has not referred people to those squalid boarding houses in the last 6 months, based on corporation advice, even though the corporation said to the Listener that it is impossible to know who has been referred and where such people have been sent, that no records are kept, and that it cannot guarantee that staff do not send clients there; which advice from the corporation should we believe?
Hon MARYAN STREET Link to this
Last week a number of actions were undertaken to ensure that the practice of the neighbourhood unit of not referring people to those two lodges was, in fact, the case—that staff members were not acting outside of the established practice and referring people to those lodges even though they should not be doing that. Last week I encouraged that member to get out and do some legwork around this issue. If he had been to the lodges and asked the managers about this matter, he might have received the same answers that, on investigation, the Housing New Zealand Corporation got.
I wish to make a personal statement about my visiting the boarding lodges that the Minister refers to. I have visited the boarding houses and they are squalid.
Madam SPEAKERIs the Minister concerned about the growing group who are disputing her unequivocal statements about referrals—the Listener, Close Up, three social workers, and the tenants themselves—and if she is concerned about their disputing what she has been saying, why is she not listening to them and improving the situation?
Hon MARYAN STREET Link to this
I have to say that Close Up and the Listener are working off the same information, so it is a bit of a complete circle there. I further say that the point is that, in fact, the Close Up programme was simply working off the Listener article; the programme had not done any homework, either. I say to the member that the investigation has been carried out. Corporation staff visited the lodges in person and spoke with the lodge managers, to verify details such as those raised in the Listener article and by the Close Up programme, and to endeavour to find any evidence of such activity. They confirmed that they could not find any evidence to support it. If the member has any evidence, I ask him to please give it to me so that I can have a look at it.
I seek leave to table a statement from the Monte Cecilia Housing Trust that “Housing NZ has arrived at the boarding houses with new tenants.”
I seek leave to table a statement from the Listener that “Many were brought here by Housing New Zealand.”
I seek leave to table the statement made by a Close Up researcher and reporter that “They’ve been advised to go there by Housing New Zealand.”
I seek leave to table the statement made by the Housing New Zealand Corporation that “no records are kept …”.
I seek leave to table the statement made by John Key that “There is a growing underclass in New Zealand.”