10. Question No. 10—Housing (Public Housing)SIMON O'CONNOR (National—Tāmaki) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing)Question No. 10—Housing (Public Housing)10. SIMON O'CONNOR (National—Tāmaki) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing): Have there been any evictions of state housing tenants for anti-social behaviour since this Government took office; if not how does he reconcile his statement yesterday that there have been 24386 reports of anti-social behaviour by state housing tenants in that time period?SPEAKER: The Hon Kris Faafoi with a warning that I have been warned this is slightly longer than normal.Hon KRIS FAAFOI (Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing)): For Kāinga Ora technically an eviction is where a Tenancy Tribunal has ended a tenancy and a court bailiff takes possession of the property. When Kāinga Ora have to move someone on because of antisocial behaviour it uses a business-initiated transfer to another more appropriate property. In terms of antisocial behaviour I'm advised there have been 308 business-initiated transfers since the Government took office. I'm advised that there has been one eviction since the Government took office. This is in the context of 185000 New Zealanders in State homes and 65000 Kāinga Ora properties. As I said yesterday I recognise it can be tough to live next to someone who is an antisocial tenant but some tenants have complex needs and these also have to be managed. These issues have always been complex. As a predecessor of mine said We know that steady housing helps provide stability and security however some tenants face eviction from their home for anti-social behaviour or financial issues only to end up in need for emergency housing. If we can avoid them being evicted by resolving their behaviour this benefits the tenant their family and the taxpayer" and I agree with the former housing Minister Amy Adams.Simon O'Connor: How many business transfer protocols have there been since the Government took office?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: If the member is asking around antisocial behaviour the number that I have is 308. I believe—and I stand to be corrected—from discussions I've had with officials that the wider number of business-initiated transfers may be close to something like 380.Simon O'Connor: What does the Minister say to neighbours of some State house tenants who have to put with daily abuse or said tenants barking at them?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: I would ask them that they go to Kāinga Ora to make an official complaint. I would also point out that if we take each of those 308 business-initiated transferees in comparison to the 65000 properties that Kāinga Ora has that amounts to about less than 0.5 percent. I'm concerned that the Opposition wants to focus on 0.047 percent of those tenants and wants to stigmatise the other 99.5 percent of Kāinga Ora tenants.Simon O'Connor: Does the Minister agree with using taxpayer dollars to put neighbours of antisocial State housing tenants up in motels rather than evict or move on those troublesome neighbours and if so why?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: I have faith that the Kāinga Ora staff at the front line can manage those situations in order to keep those tenants safe. As I have said there have been 308 business-initiated transfers to move antisocial tenants out of Kāinga Ora properties. That is in the context of 185000 New Zealanders living in State homes and in 65000 properties.Simon O'Connor: In light of that response does the Minister appreciate that his keeping the tenants safe is putting New Zealanders as neighbours—themselves and their children—in harm's way?SPEAKER: I'll let the member answer even though it's an out-of-order question. Answer the question.Hon KRIS FAAFOI: Look as I had said yesterday tenants are evicted when either staff contractors or neighbours could be seriously—their safety is put in serious harm. As I've said there has only been one eviction technically under Kāinga Ora's terminology and 308 business-initiated transfers for antisocial behaviour. I'm sure that people on the front line are taking into consideration the safety and the lives of the neighbours of some of these tenants who have to be managed. But at the end of the day as former Ministers on that side of the House have said they have to manage in the best interests of everyone because if we kick those people or evict those people out of the properties as the Hon Amy Adams has said sooner or later they will end up costing the taxpayer more.Simon O'Connor: Does the Minister therefore agree with people like the Rotorua Motel Association chairwoman who says that motel emergency housing is in a "dire emergency" and what is he currently doing to keep it under control?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: We have always been honest that we inherited a housing crisis which is why we have invested hundreds of millions in increasing the supply of support like emergency housing special-needs grants like building more public housing when the previous Government was tearing them down and demolishing them."