Inquiry called after gloomy reports

Press, 21 January 1983, Page 4

Inquiry called after gloomy reports

PA Auckland The Government has ordered an investigation into the National Housing Commission. a research group whose gloomy reports on the state of housing and the building industry have embarrassed the Government during the last few years.

A review team of three headed by a former DirectorGeneral ‘of the Post Office. Mr Bill Hickson, has been appointed by the State Services Commission. Its task is to recommend to the Cabinet whether the commission should be discontinued, changed or continued.

The review team has been told to examine whether the 10-year-old commission's aims are still relevant, if its activities overlap those of any other group, if it is efficient, and whether its funding should be reviewed. The commission’s budget was less than $lOO,OOO last year, although the Housing Corporation pays for all its

printing. It was set up to advise the Government on housing issues, but has gradually become more of a public interest body.

The team is expected to report to the Cabinet by the end of March. Mr Ron Kelly, commissioner in charge of investigations. said it was at the Cabinet's discretion whether to make the conclusions public.

The National Housing Commission's chairman. Mr lan Lawrence, said yesterday that he had no qualms about the inquiry, although if might be argued that the Housing Corporation's research activities slightly overlapped the commission's.

The Housing Corporation's policy was to publish all research it commissioned and to withhold nothing even though it might disagree with some findings, such as last year's report on homelessness in Auckland which caused weeks of contro-

“We are completely free of political interference.” he said.

“The fact that we see fit to say what we think and have often met with expressions of disapproval bears out our independence. Opposition members have sometimes criticised us because on the face of it we were attempting to justify Government housing policies." Mr Lawrence said.

Mr Kelly said the Cabinet had chosen two other quasiGovernment bodies for investigation: the Council for Recretaion and Sport, and a committee which runs Wellington’s art gallery, museum, and war memorial.

The Housing Commission has consistently called attention to the decline of the building industry. Its 1981 annual report concluded that the low-cost housing market was nearly defunct and that a new house was an unrealisable dream to most modestincome families.