Heatley Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Heatley Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:647;Page:16535] 
6.  
PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei) 
 to the  
Minister of Housing 
: Where were the Housing New Zealand Corporation conference venues each year between 2000 and 2008 excluding the conferences at the Hotel and Spa du Vin in 2003 and at the luxury Tongariro Lodge earlier this month? 
Hon MARYAN STREET (Minister of Housing) 
: 
 The Housing New Zealand Corporation has advised me that the property improvement team has held six annual conferences since its formation in 2002. These conferences have been held at either the Millennium Hotel Rotorua and Blue Baths or the Taupo Huka Village—not Huka Lodge. 
Phil Heatley 
: Why under Labour’s watch have successive housing Ministers allowed conferences to be held at luxury venues year in and year out given Helen Clark’s 1999 pledge that “Labour will be a very careful custodian of taxpayers’ money—no more squandering public money on luxury resorts.”? 
Hon MARYAN STREET 
: I have written to the board chairperson who has replied to me with the following assurance: “There will be no repeat of the use of high-profile venues that fail to reflect the corporation’s commitment to reasonable caution in spending on internal conferencing.” 
Phil Heatley 
: Did the Minister get advice from the Prime Minister not to defend the Tongariro Lodge conference before Tuesday’s question time or after Tuesday’s question time; if before why did she ignore that advice? 
Hon MARYAN STREET 
: I have been the beneficiary of the Prime Minister’s advice before during and after. 
Phil Heatley 
: Did the Minister get advice from the Prime Minister not to defend the Tongariro Lodge conference before Tuesday’s question time—before Tuesday’s question time? 
Hon MARYAN STREET 
: I received the Prime Minister’s advice before during and after. 
Phil Heatley 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I actually used up two questions there with a specific question: “Did the Minister get advice … to defend the Tongariro Lodge conference”—to defend it—“before Tuesday’s question time?”. She talked about advice about it— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: No I am sorry; I listened very carefully because the member constantly questions whether Ministers respond to questions correctly. I take special notice and the Minister addressed the question. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Did the advice that the Minister received from the Prime Minister resemble the advice that was given to Kate Wilkinson—say no to compulsion before and during the meeting and say yes to it after it? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Well the Minister has no responsibility for the National Party. She can address the question as it relates to housing. 
Hon MARYAN STREET 
: The Prime Minister’s advice to me has been consistent throughout. 
Phil Heatley 
: Why should the chief executive be the only person to have her pay docked for running a conference that only 2 days ago the Minister was “all for”; and why should she be made a scapegoat for waste that successive housing Ministers have overseen? 
Hon MARYAN STREET 
: The treatment of the chief executive is a matter for the board. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Given that successive housing Ministers have been put at issue here why did the Prime Minister make that statement back in 1999; and what was the record for the previous 9 years in respect of the competence of the Housing New Zealand Corporation? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: No there is no responsibility for what the Prime Minister does but there certainly is in terms of the Housing New Zealand Corporation’s previous practice. So the Minister may address that part. 
Hon MARYAN STREET 
: I have sought comprehensive information about the Housing New Zealand Corporation’s conference bills. I can say to that member that as Audrey Young put it in the  
New Zealand Herald 
 the other day this conference is “in the shade” compared with Christine Rankin’s price tag of $235000 for a conference held under the National Party’s watch. 
Phil Heatley 
: In light of that why has the chief executive conceded that there has been “a pattern” of inappropriate venues when Helen Clark’s 1999 pledge card railed against a “culture of waste and extravagance”; or is that pattern and culture alive and well under this Government after 9 years? 
Hon MARYAN STREET 
: I have sought an assurance from the board chair that there will be no repeat of use of high-profile venues and I have been given that assurance. 
Rodney Hide 
: Does the Minister defend the use of taxpayers’ money for staff on these annual conference trips to take luge rides riverboat trips and “luxury” lunches and indeed to have a supply of gambling chips for the casino; if she does not defend it what has changed since Tuesday? 
Hon MARYAN STREET 
: I will not condone or defend any inappropriate behaviour by staff. This is a matter for the chief executive to deal with. 
Phil Heatley 
: I seek leave to table the  
New Zealand Herald 
 article that reports that Housing New Zealand Corporation staff take a trip to a plush venue every year. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes there is. 
Phil Heatley 
: I seek leave to table the quote from the Housing New Zealand Corporation’s chief executive that “A pattern has developed.” 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Well where did it come from? 
Phil Heatley 
: I seek leave to table that quote from a New Zealand Press Association report. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes there is. I ask members to please identify the document first. That would help members work out whether to grant leave. 
Phil Heatley 
: I seek leave to table a press release from Helen Clark that states that Labour will drive a culture change and that the State will lead by example. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes there is. 
Phil Heatley 
: I seek leave to table a statement made in this House by Maryan Street: “… I am all for it.” 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that. Is there any objection? Yes there is.