Phil Heatley MP
National Party Housing Spokesman
5 September 2007

Minister Changes Story On HNZ Corruption Probe

National Party Housing spokesman Phil Heatley says Chris Carter appears to have changed his story again on a promised probe into a corruption allegation levelled at Housing New Zealand.

“Back in June, after correcting earlier misleading answers to Parliament, Mr Carter promised an urgent inquiry into claims that an HNZ insider helped a man retain the tenancy on a state house while he owned a holiday home in Russell.

“In the complaint, which languished on a desk for 10 months, neighbours commented that the tenant in question boasted that he had been able to get away with it because he knew someone on the inside at Housing New Zealand.

“In the aftermath of that, Mr Carter promised a proper inquiry into the corruption claims. Today in Parliament, Mr Carter claimed that inquiry had taken place and the results had been made public.”

Mr Heatley says Mr Carter needs to make clear what the findings of that inquiry were and point interested parties to the details.

“Mr Carter at first claimed the corruption claim had been checked out, then he backed off and said it would be checked out, and now he’s back to saying it has been properly investigated.

“Which is it?

“Has the neighbour who made the complaint been interviewed? What other efforts were made to clear up the serious complaint of corruption or is the Minister hoping people will drop the issue?

“If, as Mr Carter claimed in Parliament today, the investigation into corruption has been done – then let’s see it.”

ENDS

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