Twyford all talk no walk once in Government

Stuff reports:

Housing Minister Phil Twyford has finally called a homeowner who says the housing minister abandoned him after using his plight for publicity.

Stormwater runoff from a neighbouring Housing New Zealand (HNZ) property flooded Murray Lilley’s property on rainy days.  

Just weeks before the election, West Auckland MP Phil Twyford visited his property and rallied for HNZ to fix the problem.

But things had changed since the Te Atatū MP was named Housing Minister in October, Lilley said.

“I have heard nothing from him.

So Twyford used his case for publicity before the election and then stopped responding to him once he was actually the Minister and able to help him.

Before the election Twyford had condemned then Associate Housing Minister Alfred Ngaro for not of helping Lilley.

Ngaro’s office had forwarded Lilley’s request for help to HNZ.

Lilley was told by HNZ that water run-off was a natural outcome of the property design.  

At the time, Twyford said Ngaro was hiding behind the letter of the law.

“HNZ is the country’s biggest landlord and owned by the taxpayer so it should be good neighbour and come to the party,” Twyford said.  

Twyford also wrote a letter of support to then housing minister Amy Adams.

“I visited Murray at his home on 8 August and can personally attest to the facts of the case Murray sets out, and the toll it is taking on him and his family,” it read.  

Lilley said he felt used and discarded after the election. 

Much easier to do a publicity stunt than to actually make things happen.