Smith Nick: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Smith Nick: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:627;Page:21964] 
8.  
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) 
 to the  
Minister for Building Issues 
: Is he satisfied that the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service has given good value for the $52 million of taxpayers’ money appropriated to date given that after nearly 3 years of operation only 10 percent of claims have been resolved? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister for Building Issues) 
: 
 The Weathertight Homes Resolution Service was established to provide to homeowners dispute resolution services that are quicker and more cost effective than litigation and it has done that. The service has provided 2505 free assessment reports to homeowners. Two hundred and fifty-six cases have been resolved through mediation 25 through adjudication and 96 through other means. My department is looking at ways to further improve the service. I will outline the details of possible changes within the next week following a meeting with affected homeowners this Friday in Auckland. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Can the Minister explain how having a Sound of Music theme party on 30 June 2005 here in Wellington including the cost of flying all staff from Auckland their accommodation overnight and food and drink has assisted the thousands of leaky-home owners facing financial ruin? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I cannot comment on the party and I am sad to say I did not receive an invitation. What I can say is that the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service was a reaction to a hopeless situation created by the previous National Government of which that member was part. 
Russell Fairbrother 
: What has the Government done to avoid a repeat of the weathertightness issue? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The Government enacted the Building Act to ensure that buildings are now built right the first time. We have fixed the appalling mess in the building sector created by the previous National Government’s hands-off approach. 
Brent Catchpole 
: Will the Minister tell the House after appropriating $52 million of taxpayers’ money to date to the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service what the average value of claims to the service is and what the average value of settlements is; if not why not? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The total appropriation—Dr Smith got it wrong again—is actually $46.3 million and I have to say that the average claim has been $45000. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Can the Minister explain how having a Pacific Island dancing and kava-drinking cultural extravaganza during work time at the Stamford Plaza Hotel in Auckland on Friday 17 June—only a fortnight before the Sound of Music party—which involved a dozen staff from Wellington for which the taxpayer met the cost of their airfares dancing girls and food and drink etc. helped the work of the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I can assure you Madam Speaker and the rest of this House that I am absolutely committed to trying to fix up issues around weathertightness—issues I remind this House that were created by the previous National Government’s hands-off approach. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I must come to the defence of the Hon Nick Smith. That can be in no way be regarded as an answer. The Minister just told us that he was absolutely committed to fixing the problem. Was he telling us that he went to the party? How are we supposed to know what sort of an answer that was? Was the Minister saying that he did go to the hula party or that he did not? He was asked a quite clear question which was about how holding parties helped weathertightness not about whether or not he ought to be committed to the issue. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I am happy to comment on the issues raised by the member. I have approached this matter with a certain degree of jest because it sounds so absurd. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Quiet please so we can hear the Minister. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I have been responsible for the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service for exactly 26 days. I know absolutely nothing about those two parties. I can assure the member Madam Speaker and the rest of this House that I will be asking some very serious questions about them very soon. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Is the Minister aware that prior to the Sound of Music party in Wellington and the Pacific Island dancing party in Auckland last month the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service last year hosted a Cowboys and Indians party for all staff with the full cost of staff travelling down from Auckland being paid for by the taxpayer and with food and beverages being provided and that last year it also held an aeroplane themed party on similar lines; if so does he stand by his statement that public money entrusted to help leaky-home owners is being very well spent? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I can assure you Madam Speaker and the rest of this House that if the member is correct in his description of those rather jolly parties the entertainment culture of the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service has just come to an end. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Is the reason this Government is so opposed to tax relief for hard-working New Zealanders because it wants the money for airfares accommodation entertainment food and alcohol and regular Sound of Music Pacific Island aeroplane and Cowboys and Indians theme parties for public servants? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: What this Government is committed to is fixing up problems. The problem of leaking homes has profoundly affected the incomes and health of many New Zealanders. That problem was created by that party over there and we are fixing it up. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Does the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service have a good reason for all that partying when nearly 3 years after it was established on the Government promise of a quick and cost-effective solution for homeowners only one in 10 claims have been resolved; and what does he expect the 3000 claimants to think of his Government partying up while their homes rot? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: If the member is correct and I am prepared to take him at his word about those parties which I have heard about for the first time now I can assure him Madam Speaker the rest of this House and the public of New Zealand that as a Government we are committed to dealing with this issue of leaking homes. We have put in place the structures to do so and we are prepared to solve problems that that member’s Government created. 
Brent Catchpole 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I have just been advised that my microphone is playing up. I was wondering why the Minister had not answered my question fully and perhaps that is why. 
Rodney Hide 
: It’s never been used before; that’s the problem. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order or a suitable interjection. The problem with the sound system has been noted but the member’s question did come through even if it was a little wobbly in terms of its sound. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I note the answer given by the Minister earlier to Dr Nick Smith and I wonder whether he would be prepared to table the briefing given to him as incoming Minister relating to the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order. I just remind members that when I am in this position of course I am the Speaker.