Collins: Minister should boot out unruly tenants
Twyford accused of ignoring Hastings residents
Judith Collins has launched a scathing attack on Housing Minister Phil Twyford over revelations Housing NZ “ignored” a petition from a Hastings neighbourhood to kick out a family that regularly hosts gang members. Collins, the National Party housing spokeswoman, is accusing Twyford of being “soft” on crime and allowing antisocial tenants to stay in social housing. “Twyford and HNZ chief executive Andrew McKenzie confirmed in June that antisocial social housing tenants will be allowed to stay in their properties and neighbours won’t be able to do anything about it,” Collins said. “A neighbourhood in Hastings has been disrupted with constant noise from gang members and regular visits from the police despite multiple complaints to Housing New Zealand. “It’s not right that the Government’s soft-on-crime stance and ‘no-eviction’ policy is resulting in innocent, lawabiding people being forced to move while their violent gang member neighbours continue living in taxpayer-funded housing with no consequences for bad behaviour.” Collins said Twyford had his priorities wrong. “He should be ensuring lawabiding families are able to continue living their lives without fear of their neighbours, instead he’s willing to protect tenants who are involved in criminal behaviour and disrupting the entire street.” But Twyford said Collins was using “scaremongering” tactics and Housing NZ did not have a no-evictions policy. “Their policy is to try to sustain tenancies, as those evicted from state houses often end up homeless and become a greater burden on our health, social and justice sectors. As a last resort Housing NZ can and will evict tenants.” He said he “felt” for the Hastings family but the issue was not state housing. “I know from my work as an electorate MP in West Auckland how disruptive and stressful anti-social neighbours can be and I feel for this family. “However, anti-social behaviour can come from any neighbour, not just from the 4 per cent of New Zealanders that live in state housing. “Unlike anti-social neighbours in private housing, Housing NZ has the opportunity to work with their tenants to resolve such issues.” He added that history was a great reminder of what happens when Housing New Zealand tenants get evicted. “New Zealanders are well aware of the dangers of Housing NZ evicting tenants to make ministers look tough, as was done with the meth fiasco under Judith Collins’ government.” Collins said Twyford needed to take control of Housing New Zealand. “A home should be a safe haven for families, not a place of intimidation and fear.”