Press Release - Sue Henry (Housing Lobby)

"Nick Smith should go - not the Housing Minister position"

"After five years of Nick Smith as Housing Minister, making an absolute pig's breakfast of the State Housing portfolio, his friend, the new Prime Minister Bill English would rather disestablish the Housing Minister position, than sack his 'brat pack' mate," says Housing Lobby Spokesperson Sue Henry.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11767745

"...Our new leader will spend Christmas with wife Mary and their extended family at their home in Wellington, before heading down south to the family farm in Dipton.

Also making the trip will be fellow minister Nick Smith and former National politicians Tony Ryall and Roger Sowry, maintaining a long-standing tradition.

"We have holidayed together every Christmas for the past 25 years or so years," English said.

..."

"The carnage of Nick Smith's policy in Tamaki, and that 'pilot project' is unprecedented and horrendous on many fronts:

* LAND BANKING:

For over five years, numerous properties sat empty through land banking, while Nick Smith kept parroting there was a housing shortage.

House property values over doubled, as have rents in that same time period, and are still 'heading North' after property developers and realtors have ended up with the land.

* DESTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION OF QUALITY STATE HOUSES:

Many solid native timber homes (matai and rimu) have ended up as piles of rubble on their front lawns, while some evicted tenants sleep in cars outside these properties.

* VULNERABLE ELDERLY TENANTS EFFECTIVELY ABUSED BY 90 DAY EVICTION NOTICES:

In 2013 New Zealand retrospectively went back 70 years in removing life-time tenancies

off returned servicemen, widows of returned servicemen, pensioners, the sick and the vulnerable.

Dozens of these tenants have been harassed and intimidated since 2011(and sadly, many have died) before being forced out with 90 day eviction notices, or immediately afterwards.

It's been an appalling spectacle, how under Nick Smith, there has been such abuse of tenants in their 70's and 80's.

Nick Smith should go - not the Housing Minister portfolio.

Furthermore, the 'Social' Housing Ministry and their entire portfolio should go as well.

Housing New Zealand should be reinstated as a 'one stop shop'."

Sue Henry
Housing Lobby Spokesperson

© Scoop Media