Carter David: Debate on Crown Entities Public Organisations  and State Enterprises — In Committee 
Carter David: Debate on Crown Entities Public Organisations  and State Enterprises — In Committee 
[Volume:631;Page:3058] 
Hon DAVID CARTER (National) 
: 
 I acknowledge that on this occasion I am speaking on behalf of Phil Heatley who is ill and I wish him well for a speedy recovery. But speaking as a former spokesperson on housing I also take the opportunity of raising in the Committee today a few very real concerns I have about Housing New Zealand Corporation particularly about the way the bureaucracy of this organisation appears to have become excessively politicised over recent years. I was surprised to hear the Minister of Housing the Hon Chris Carter say in the House only last week that Housing New Zealand Corporation with its 60000-odd houses is in fact the second-biggest asset this Government has. Therefore all New Zealanders should be worried if as I am going to state now the organisation has become highly politicised. 
 We used to have a civil service that was generally taken as being apolitical that was prepared to roll with the Government of the day and that initiated the programmes of those Governments without becoming politicised itself. Yet very questionable actions have occurred recently within Housing New Zealand Corporation and its staff. Concerns have been raised about the way in which contractors for maintenance on Housing New Zealand Corporation stock have been gagged from expressing their concerns to politicians. 
Phil Heatley was able to say in a press release that a conspiracy of silence has engulfed Housing New Zealand Corporation—and that development should worry us. The conspiracy of silence extends from the chair of the board himself through to the chief executive and it has now resulted in Audit New Zealand having to examine the way in which contracts are being awarded by that organisation and more specifically how an instruction came which was known about by the chief executive of that organisation that attempted to gag people who were concerned about the improper way in which contracts were being organised. 
We know that the organisation is in a mess—it is in a complete and utter shambles—and that is because of the policies of the Government. It is largely because of the policies of the Minister who is now in the chair Mr Maharey about whom John Tamihere was absolutely correct. While we have people living in State houses who are earning $100000 or more it seems incredible to me that Mr Maharey and Chris Carter can take satisfaction from the fact that 12000 people are waiting for those particular houses. Labour members come into the Chamber and invariably say that it is all the fault of the National Party. They have been in Government for 7 long years and it is time they accepted that their housing policy is a mess. 
I will finish by mentioning one very worrying incident that absolutely proves my point about the politicisation of Housing New Zealand Corporation. During the last election an absolutely outrageously incorrect letter went from many Labour politicians direct to Housing New Zealand Corporation tenants stating that if National were elected they would be kicked out of their houses. It was absolute rubbish but the point is how Labour members such as Ruth Dyson Dianne Yates and David Benson-Pope to name but three ever got hold of the names of Housing New Zealand Corporation tenants to be able to write to them directly. The only answer is that some mole in Housing New Zealand Corporation was prepared to supply private information to the Labour Party so that it could write those threatening incorrect letters to tenants. 
It is very worrying when Housing New Zealand Corporation has become as politicised as that. [ 
Interruption 
] Darren Hughes laughs. He scoffs. He does not think it is important to have a civil service that is apolitical. He might not think that but I can tell him that many many New Zealanders do. I say to Darren Hughes that this issue is a very serious one for New Zealanders. Labour MPs should not use Housing New Zealand Corporation to obtain information that is private and confidential to that organisation.