13 June 2018

Twyford gives meth users free rein in HNZ homes

The Government’s ‘no-eviction’ policy for bad social housing tenants is likely to see Kiwibuild first-home buyers in developments with anti-social neighbours and no course of action to move them on, National’s Housing Spokesperson Judith Collins says.

“Hard-working New Zealanders buying their own home don’t expect to have to put up with anti-social people, like meth users, living next door in taxpayer-funded housing. Nor do other social housing tenants who abide by the law.

“But Housing Minister Phil Twyford and Housing New Zealand Chief Executive Andrew McKenzie today confirmed that illegal drug users will be allowed to stay in social housing and their law-abiding neighbours won’t be able to do anything about it.

“In fact, Mr McKenzie says law-abiding Housing New Zealand tenants could be the ones to be uprooted while their anti-social neighbours get to stay.

“I don’t see how that is fair. It’s also not fair to taxpayers who pay for social housing or to others on the social housing waitlist, which has risen to record levels under Mr Twyford’s watch despite all his big talk about building 1000 more social houses a year.

“The only social houses that have been built since he became Minister were houses started by the National Government. And this Government is going to let them be filled with illegal drug users.”

© Scoop Media