Clarkson Bob: Housing Restructuring and Tenancy Matters (Information Matching) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Clarkson Bob: Housing Restructuring and Tenancy Matters (Information Matching) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:632;Page:3945] 
BOB CLARKSON (National—Tauranga) 
: 
 Is this the title debate now? 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: This is clauses 1 and 2. I have called the member; is he taking the call? The member should take the call. It is wide ranging Mr Clarkson so you have plenty of room and scope. 
BOB CLARKSON 
: I have not had much dinner and that is the problem; I am not thinking clearly. I am pleased to speak on this Housing Restructuring and Tenancy Matters (Information Matching) Amendment Bill. As I said before the bill needs a different name. During the break I came up with another one. I suggest that it should be called the “Housing Recovery from Rip-offs (Carter’s Second Attempt) Bill”. I have studied State housing and houses for the last 18 months. By the way 18 months is longer than I have been here. It shocks me how the Government has allowed a major waste of money in many areas of this field. The bureaucrats have failed and there are no ifs or buts about that. 
I myself have had vast experience in the house rental market and I know how State tenants can and will use all the tricks in the world to delay paying deposits or rent. They may say that mum and dad will pay the rent but they are out of town at the moment. 
Shane Jones 
: The cheque’s in the mail! 
BOB CLARKSON 
: That is right—that happens a lot. I myself did own a lot of houses and I know that does happen. The Hon David Benson-Pope has finally got something right—this is a good bill. The gentleman is not here to hear me say that. I have cases of three lots of tenants living in State houses and I believe that they are all claiming rent subsidies or benefits. This bill will sort that out. I believe that we should help disadvantaged people—members should take note of that—but we should attack the ones who are ripping the system off. I think the Government will get a shock when it sees how many people are ripping off the system. 
Jill Pettis 
: Name them. 
BOB CLARKSON 
: If we get this bill going we will certainly find those people. I know of cases where State house tenants are taking in boarders and I believe that is a major problem throughout the country. In some cases the boarders pay rent that is then used to pay the Housing New Zealand Corporation. It is a stupid situation. It is a shocking situation and the people of New Zealand are sick and tired of it. 
I also think the Housing New Zealand Corporation should pass incomes declared by tenants to the Inland Revenue Department for confirmation. The Inland Revenue Department could report back on any false income amounts and we might get some truth in the matter. If tenants are honest they have nothing to fear. We are here to help them if we get the right information. Any tenant who gives wrong information should be barred from having a State house. 
Hon Judith Tizard 
: Forever? 
BOB CLARKSON 
: Well yes until they die then. This information sharing will also—why did members not laugh when I said that? 
Phil Heatley 
: No sense of humour. 
BOB CLARKSON 
: “Thick” is the word. The information sharing will also help to find people owing benefit debts to the Crown. The losses in the State house sector are terrible. I actually made a speech about that in the select committee the other day and got stuck into it. The losses are absolutely shocking. We should welcome anything that helps to fix that problem and we should be pleased. National—and I want to make this point clear—is not against helping the disadvantaged. We just want a fair deal for all and we want the Labour members to open their ears and listen instead of mouthing all the time. Let us get this bill through. National can make it even better later on. We support the bill.