5. State Housing—Sale of Housing StockMETIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime MinisterState Housing—Sale of Housing Stock5. METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime Minister: Ka tū ia i runga i te mana o āna kaupapa here katoa?[Does he stand by all his Government's policies?]Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH (Prime Minister): Yes.Metiria Turei: Does he stand by the policy of the previous Minister responsible for HNZC on the sale of the State houses in Christchurch that No decision has been made on the proceeds from the proposed transfer in Christchurch." or does he stand by the previous Prime Minister's statement that "The Government would use that capital to build even more State houses."?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: The Government's policy is that any proceeds from the transfer of social houses in Christchurch to another provider of social houses will be used to finance the Housing New Zealand building programme.Metiria Turei: Is the reason Treasury officials were sent to Sydney this week to try to sell State houses to overseas investors that his plan to sell them to New Zealand housing providers has been completely stuffed?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: You would need to talk to Treasury officials about why they were going to Sydney but it has clearly been the Government policy to bring—Grant Robertson: A holiday or something? Shopping?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: If the member just looks at our State housing stock even she might believe that something should change. Keeping doing the same thing may mean that our communities where there is a lot of State housing continue to be run down. The Government is keen to see a wide range of participants in social housing with the skills to do a good job.Metiria Turei: Should he not reconsider his policy to sell off thousands of State houses now that it is clear that most community housing providers particularly those in Christchurch—people who know best about these issues—are against his policy? Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: No. I do not agree with the member that the providers are against the policy; most of them are just too small to take on the responsibility of 4000 or 5000 houses or 2000 houses and the process of course will create consortia which may well include those providers that do have good experience with their communities and the tenants. Metiria Turei: Does the Prime Minister agree with the recent Press editorial that asked: "how can an Australian provider know best what New Zealand tenants need?"Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: As I understand it it would have to meet the criteria laid out for the transaction which is that it demonstrates close links to its community. The member may not realise this but the effect that had in Tauranga was that a number of different players with property skills financial skills and tenant-management skills came together into consortia. You can call it cooperation or collaboration but that seems to be the recipe that makes these transactions successful.Metiria Turei: Is it not a fact that in the middle of the housing crisis he has no idea who is going to be buying these homes and that the Press editorial is right when it says that "He now leads a tired Government that has almost completely lost interest in the job of providing warm dry and safe homes for New Zealanders."?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: That is complete nonsense. In fact the Press should talk with the Christchurch City Council which has been displaying a great deal of enthusiasm for precisely the opportunity that the Government peter is providing. In fact it is going through a process of upgrading its own social housing stock which is large and poorly managed. So it would help if the local newspaper talked to the local council and it would be better informed. In fact the member should probably go and talk with the local council rather than relying on the newspaper."