Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
$44M In Damage, Only $15M Recovered
$44M In Damage, Only $15M Recovered
Housing New Zealand has spent more than $44 million repairing tenant-damaged state houses, but only recovered a third of that sum since 1999, ACT New Zealand Associate Finance Spokesman Deborah Coddington revealed today.
"Answers to my written Parliamentary Questions have revealed that from 1999-2003, Housing NZ spent $44,663 ,575 repairing state houses damaged by tenants - yet has only recovered $15,335,898 from the vandals responsible," Miss Coddington said.
"This is unacceptable, and raises serious questions about where Housing Minister Steve Maharey's priorities lie. An embarrassed Mr Maharey blamed the previous National Government for tenants' destructive behaviour - despite this damage being done during Labour's term - when I raised the issue during Question Time in September.
"Despite bringing this appalling situation to his attention, the Minister has done nothing to address the problem. Working Kiwis - many of whom must rent or repay mortgages - will be horrified to discover that their taxes have been spent covering the $29,000,000 shortfall.
"Mr Maharey has
let down taxpayers time-and-time again. I call on the
Minister to take action and recover these debts. This is a
scandal; if he's not prepared to seek prompt payment form
the perpetrators of this damage - and spare taxpayers
from forking out unnecessarily - then he should resign,"
Miss Coddington said.
Gordon Campbell: On unemployment, Winston Peters’ low boiling point and music criticism
NZ Government: Government Recommits To Equal Pay
Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter: Deputy Mayor ‘disgusted’ By Response To Georgina Beyer Sculpture
Te Pāti Māori: Māori Unemployment Rate Increases By More Than Four-Times National Rates
Government: Streamlining Building Consent Changes
Koi Tu - The Centre for Informed Futures: If Not Journalists, Then Who?
FIRST Union: May Day, The Biggest Threat To NZ Workers In 2024 Is Our Government
