Beyer Georgina: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Beyer Georgina: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:611;Page:8528] 
6.  
GEORGINA BEYER (NZ Labour—Wairarapa) 
 to the  
Minister of Housing 
: What community renewal projects are being undertaken to refurbish Housing New Zealand Corporation properties? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Housing) 
: 
 Work has begun on the $27 million Talbot Park community renewal project in Glen Innes Auckland. The project involves the modernisation of over 100 State house apartments and improvements to parks roading lighting and streetscapes. It also proposes that 59 existing Housing New Zealand properties will be demolished to make way for 97 new homes. We look forward to working with local authorities and to their playing their part to enable this and other neighbourhood renewal projects to occur. 
Georgina Beyer 
: Can one assume that other State housing modernisation and maintenance projects are being undertaken? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Alongside the six community renewal projects in Fordlands Aranui Clendon eastern Porirua Talbot Park and Northcote this financial year Housing New Zealand intends to complete energy efficiency retrofits on 2500 State houses modernise 600 State homes and undertake $124 million worth of maintenance. That is a huge improvement in investment in the quality of State housing every dollar being necessary because of the neglect under the National Government. 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: In light of the fact that Housing New Zealand is now increasingly renting well-maintained houses from private landlords as part of its total rental stock why does the Government not start selling some of the stock that is rented to long-term tenants so they can have a real chance of homeownership? [ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I distinctly heard an interjection in the background. If I could identify that member he would be going. 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The Government does of course support homeownership and it has just introduced a trial mortgage insurance scheme. But no we are not going to sell houses. The National Government sold 13000 of them and that is why we have a problem now. 
Deborah Coddington 
: As well as the refurbishment the Minister is boasting about will he confirm that from 1999 to 2002 taxpayers spent $30.5 million repairing damage done by tenants to Housing New Zealand properties but recovered only $10 million of it from tenants and that taxpayers are subsidising this destructive behaviour to the tune of $20 million; if so what is he going to do about that? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I do not have the figures with me obviously but I am willing to get them for the member. I am even willing to get them for the member who is the National Party spokesperson on housing although I am not sure who that is. Of course the Government takes a very strong approach to people who want to damage property. We want to make sure that Housing New Zealand houses are well looked after. I think the reason that they were not during the National Government’s term is that the Government then was just a landlord and people did not respect the houses they were in because it did not respect its tenants. 
Deborah Coddington 
: I seek leave to table answers to my written questions to Mr Maharey stating that damage done by tenants from 1999 to 2002 cost $30 million. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table those. Is there any objection? There is.