Heatley Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Heatley Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:646;Page:15414] 
12.  
PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei) 
 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 Mangere; if not why not? 
Hon MARYAN STREET (Minister of Housing) 
: 
 I am advised that the Housing New Zealand Corporation does not keep referral records. I have been further advised by the corporation that the Mangere neighbourhood unit has a referral practice and those two lodges are not on its referral list. 
Phil Heatley 
: 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 
: 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. 
Phil Heatley 
: 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 
: 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. 
Phil Heatley 
: 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 SPEAKER 
: Thank you. 
Phil Heatley 
: Is 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 
: 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. 
Phil Heatley 
: 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.” 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Phil Heatley 
: I seek leave to table a statement from the  
Listener 
 that “Many were brought here by Housing New Zealand.” 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought. Is there any objection? Yes there is objection. 
Phil Heatley 
: 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.” 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought. Is there any objection? Yes there is objection. 
Phil Heatley 
: I seek leave to table the statement made by the Housing New Zealand Corporation that “no records are kept …”. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Phil Heatley 
: I seek leave to table the statement made by John Key that “There is a growing underclass in New Zealand.” 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that. Is there any objection? Yes there is objection.