Mana News editor Joe Trinder

The Minister of State Services Paula Bennett is rushing a bill through parliament “Social Housing Reform (Transaction Mandate) Bill” to allow herself unrestrained powers to sell off Housing New Zealand stocks. This will do nothing to ease the housing crisis the bill is designed to award corporate’s state housing on the cheap.

The objectives of the bill are deceptive  “the supply of affordable housing is increased, especially in Auckland.” –what happens to the family that had to be evicted for this state housing to be freed up.

How can government stop building state housing and start selling state housing and seriously believe this will resolve the housing crisis. This will only intensify the housing crisis.

Why can’t the housing be transferred to the ownership of the tenants why do banks and corporate’s need to prosper like pigs at the trough?

Housing New Zealand already has a board of directors why would the minister need to override the board and sell off state homes without consulting the ministry?

This is a blatant attempt to enrich the corporations and property developers that donate heavily to the National party coffers. In many situations the State housing tenants have brought the property many times over paying rent over 30 years but the home still belongs to housing New Zealand.

This Bill is corruption of the highest order at a time when these Ministers are planning a fire sale of billions of dollars of public assets. Basically it’s the minister offering herself the cheapest streets on the monopoly board when she should go directly to jail.