29 June 2017

Ilam Labour Candidate Calls for the Sale of HNZ Properties in Christchurch to be Halted.

Labour Candidate for Ilam Anthony Rimell is calling on the Government to abandon its proposed sale of 2,500 HNZ houses in Christchurch, following revelations that one of the three tender consortiums has links to a company accused of human rights breaches on Manus Island.

Radio New Zealand reported on this on 28 June 2017. Broadspectrum New Zealand is a subsidiary of Australian-based Broadspectrum. Only this month they agreed jointly with the Australian Government on a payout to Manus Island detainees of $73 million, following claims by the detainees that they had been mistreated.

“I’m shocked that such a company has not only been able to put a bid in, but that it is listed as one of the three preferred providers whose bid may be accepted,” Anthony Rimell said. “It shows me that the tender process is lacking in any robust moral and ethical assessment. The Government seems hell-bent on a sale to anyone with sufficient cash to make a deal. We’ve been assured time and again that the social services sector will provide a superior wrap-around service to Christchurch HNZ tenants. It’s impossible to imagine that a company with links to possible international human rights abuses meets such a standard.”

Mr Rimell said HNZ tenants have been in contact with him following this revelation. “They were worried before. Now they are frightened. They don't want Government assurances: they want action to protect them. That means stopping the sale process with effect immediately.”

“The tender process needs to be halted now, and a full-scale investigation launched into how such a company could be short-listed to proceed with a bid on our State Houses”, Anthony Rimell concluded.

Release ends

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