12. PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei) Link to this
to the Minister of Housing
Does she have confidence in Housing New Zealand Corporation; if so, why?
Does the Minister support the approach of the corporation’s Timaru spokesperson, who says: “We avoid putting rival gang members in close proximity to each other.”, and the approach of the corporation’s top boss that it ensures that “opposing gangs are housed sensitively.”; if so, why knowingly house gangs at all?
Hon MARYAN STREET Link to this
I do not want State houses associated with gang activity, any more than anybody else does. We house people according to need.
Su’a William SioHon MARYAN STREET Link to this
Yes. In the same interview I heard the report: “I don’t think there is a New Zealander in this country who accepts that we should be housing gangs.” A minute later I heard that: “We should absolutely be looking at caring for that wife and those kiddies, even that gang member.” These reports both came from National’s housing spokesman, Phil Heatley.
Pita ParaoneTēnā koe. What message is being sent to the hundreds of families on the waiting list for housing when not only does Housing New Zealand refuse to collect information on how many gang tenants there are but also says that we cannot discriminate against them for choosing to be part of a known criminal organisation?
Hon MARYAN STREET Link to this
The corporation does not tolerate illegal activity in its houses, and when it is reported, my expectation is that the corporation will take swift and firm action.
Tēnā anō koe. Has the Minister had discussions with the Minister of Police about Housing New Zealand’s policy of aiding known criminal organisations by providing them with housing, and clustering them together; and since when were the rights of gangsters more important than the rights of law-abiding citizens?
If the corporation listens to neighbours’ complaints about gangs, and takes “swift action”, how come the corporation lost the Ridgeview Road court case, with the Salt family, where boys allegedly had gang affiliations; and it lost it on the basis that it did not document the neighbours’ complaints, and did not act on the neighbours’ complaints over a number of years?
Hon MARYAN STREET Link to this
I say again that I do not accept for a moment that State houses should be associated with gang activity in any way. We house according to need. There are processes that are followed in order to evict tenants who break the law or break their tenancy agreements.
Does the Minister not have a duty of care towards women and kids who live with gang affiliates, not to turn a blind eye to gangs congregating in the State house, kicking in the neighbour’s door, dealing with drugs, and planning the next robbery? What sort of message does that send to those kids?
Hon MARYAN STREET Link to this
The corporation has the power to evict people involved in criminal activity in its houses. I would expect that power to be used on every occasion.
How come the Minister’s policy of housing rival gang members “sensitively”, and in different parts of a suburb so that they do not fight, means that gang members get to live close to each other and away from those they do not like, when the 10,000 struggling families on the waiting list just take what they can get in terms of State housing?
Hon MARYAN STREET Link to this
The Housing New Zealand Corporation takes a community’s needs into account when it houses families, and particularly if it knows that a member of a family has gang affiliations. Can I just say that it was stated in the Timaru Herald today that Jo Goodhew is reported to have said that if gang members behaved, they should be able to live in State units.
Madam SPEAKERI seek leave to table a document from the Housing New Zealand Corporation stating: “We avoid putting rival gang members in close proximity to each other.”
I seek leave to table a document stating that the Housing New Zealand Corporation ensures that “opposing gangs are housed sensitively”.
I seek leave to table an answer to a parliamentary question stating: “We do not collect information on gangs.”
Hon MARYAN STREET Link to this
I seek leave to table today’s statement in the Timaru Herald that Jo Goodhew is reported to have said that if gang members behaved—