Heatley Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Heatley Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:640;Page:10464] 
7.  
PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei) 
 to the  
Minister of Housing 
: Does he have confidence in Housing New Zealand Corporation; if so why? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister of Housing) 
: 
 Yes; but there is always room for improvement. 
Phil Heatley 
: Is the Minister at all concerned that the corporation allows 7064 of its tenants to rent extra rooms to paying boarders—1740 of whom are renting to non-family boarders—when thousands of large families on the waiting list are struggling in cramped conditions; if so what is he doing about it? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The ability of Housing New Zealand Corporation tenants to allow boarders in their houses has been a long-standing practice. It is one I believe that existed right through the 9 years of the National Government and for very good reasons. Many of those boarders are young people who are starting work or older people who are living with families. We provide that provision so that people can have a normal family life. 
Russell Fairbrother 
: Is Housing New Zealand Corporation delivering on the Labour-led Government’s manifesto commitment to provide affordable good-quality housing for those on low or modest incomes? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: It certainly is. For example in the last 7 years we have added more than 7000 new homes and indeed we had to because Murray McCully and his National mates sold off 13000 of them mostly to developers. We have introduced fair and affordable rents whereas in the 1990s State house tenants were forced out of their homes by high rents and replaced by the very market renters that Mr Heatley now wants to throw out. Finally we have been funding local authorities and organisations like Abbeyfield to develop their own social housing complexes—groups that National continues to ignore. 
Phil Heatley 
: Why is there a tenant in Mangere with five paying boarders when the waiting list in Mangere has 280 families categorised as having “severe and significant housing needs” who are probably all living in cramped and unhealthy conditions and all of whom could do with this larger home with five boarders living in it? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: For the reason I explained earlier which was perfectly acceptable to National in its 9 years in Government State house tenants are allowed two boarders. For every boarder over that they pay a market rent that is assessed as part of their income. I would think those boarders would be really really grateful for some of the 13000 houses that that member’s party sold off. 
Phil Heatley 
: Is it still the case that State house tenants can charge boarders what they want to even if it is over the rent that they pay and what is more that they do not have to pay extra rent to Housing New Zealand Corporation until they have three or more boarders; if so does the Minister think it is right for them to profit from their spare rooms while large families languish on the waiting list? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: Once again the member deliberately tries to mislead the House. State house tenants are allowed two boarders as they have been since the 1970s. It is something the National Party never changed because—like the Labour Party—I assume it thought it was good for young people in employment to stay with their parents or for older people to stay with their families. For any other tenants above that number State house tenants pay a market-related rent because their income from rent is assessed as part of their income. Again I remind this House that if National had not hocked off 13000 houses we would not have a waiting list. 
Phil Heatley 
: Why is it that when he and Mr Bridgeman of Housing New Zealand Corporation promised in 2005 that they were going to review the boarder problem there were 6931 State boarding houses and now 2 years later there are 7064? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: We do not have a problem with people allowing boarders to stay in their houses. I have already explained twice today in this House why State house tenants are allowed to have boarders and why they are allowed to have two boarders without that being assessed as part of their income. It is so that families can stay together. We would not have a problem about a waiting list if National had not sold 13000 State houses mostly to the speculator mates of its members. 
Phil Heatley 
: What is he doing to shift at least the 1700 State house tenants who have non-family boarders into smaller houses so that desperate families on the waiting list can live in less crowded and healthier conditions? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: Already in the last year we have moved 303 tenants into smaller houses thus saving the taxpayer $39 million and releasing new housing opportunities for people on the waiting list. Quite frankly it is hard to listen to the questions from that member—a member of a party that sold off 13000 houses when it was in Government. 
Phil Heatley 
: I seek leave to table estimates questions that show 7000 tenants rent out extra rooms many of them to three four or five boarders. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table those documents. Is there any objection? Yes there is objection. 
Phil Heatley 
: I seek leave to table an article from 2005 that states that the Minister was getting on to it. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes there is objection.