David Hay Challenged

Councillor David Hay cannot go unchallenged from his statement on News Talk ZB this afternoon where he stated that the Council had never any intention of selling Auckland’s council houses to the private sector.

He has never said this before, and he certainly has had plenty of opportunity. In fact he and others of the ACRN block of councillors specifically voted against an amendment at the infamous March Council meeting to give HNZ a first option to buy before putting the residential houses on the open market. 13 vacant units had Open Homes back in May and the offers made then will finally be concluded. Tenants have had letters telling them that the council proposed to sell their homes on the open market.

Resolutions from the Combined Committees in March on the pensioner divestment strategy only instructed officers to “highlight any further opportunities to meet Council’s objectives” either annually or as requested. This was despite a proposal by officers that they be authorised to look into interest or opportunities from “parties with innovative ideas,… including those who may be willing to protect the commitment made to tenants.”

If Councillor Hay and others had no intention to sell to the private sector, they should have come out clearly with this view then.

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