7. Housing New Zealand—TenantsHon JUDITH COLLINS (National—Papakura) to the Minister of Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing New Zealand—Tenants7. Hon JUDITH COLLINS (National—Papakura) to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development: Does he stand by all his statements and policies regarding evicting anti-social Housing New Zealand tenants?Hon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Housing and Urban Development): Yes. In particular I stand by my statement that people all over this country of different persuasions and colours and tendencies all live together in diverse communities" and "This Government is not going to engage in the kind of vile demonising of State house tenants and stereotyping … to try and stigmatise people".Hon Judith Collins: Does he stand by his statement that "Housing New Zealand is a landlord … they're not the police."?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Yes I do.Hon Judith Collins: If a Housing New Zealand tenant complains that their neighbouring gang-affiliated Housing New Zealand tenant is selling methamphetamine what action will Housing New Zealand take?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Housing New Zealand works with the police and other agencies to help make our communities safer and if people have concerns about their safety or suspect illegal behaviour Housing New Zealand encourages them to contact the police. The good news is that there are now more police on the beat following years of cuts under that former Minister.Hon Judith Collins: What obligations does he as the Minister of housing have to keep Housing New Zealand tenants who are living within the law safe in their homes if they have intimidating behaviour from their neighbouring tenants?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: My view about this is that Housing New Zealand has an obligation to be not only a good landlord but a good neighbour and that antisocial behaviour should not be tolerated in Housing New Zealand tenants or in fact in any tenants and in any neighbours. But this is a complex issue and Housing New Zealand's policy tries to strike a balance between being a good neighbour and sustaining tenancies. Evictions as that member seems to advocate should be an extreme last resort. Our Government does not share the previous Government's enthusiasm for throwing people out on the street.Priyanca Radhakrishnan: What is the Minister's view of Housing New Zealand's announcement that it will help tenants with alcohol or addiction problems?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: I thank the member for that question. I'm glad that Housing New Zealand is now helping those who have problems with alcohol and addiction rather than throwing them and their children out on the street. Making tenants and their children homeless doesn't make their problems disappear; it's only likely to make things worse for them and society. The Prime Minister said that this Government brings kindness back and I'm happy that Housing New Zealand is embracing that.Hon Judith Collins: Why does he agree with his Housing New Zealand Chief Executive Andrew McKenzie who said last week in relation to antisocial and criminal tenants "So our objective is to keep them in the house."?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Housing New Zealand has a range of options for dealing with these kinds of situations. The exchange that the member was talking about was about the idea of moving neighbours on and I would have thought that would be an extreme last resort. While we should not be tolerating antisocial behaviour in public housing or anywhere else we should also not be tolerating the kind of demonising and stereotyping that that member routinely engages in.SPEAKER: There is no question No. 8."