Colin Campbell

[FYI request #16281 email]

Tēnā koe Colin Campbell

On  3 August 2021,  you emailed the Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry)
requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982  (the Act), the following
information:
•  What standards do emergency housing providers have to meet to be qualified
to supply emergency accommodation as contracted (or not) to the Ministry?
•  Is the Healthy Homes standards used, if not why not?
•  How are standards checked/verified or enforced by the Ministry?
•  Who checks this for the South Waikato District?
•  Has Glenview Holiday Park (GHP) been checked in the last three years, if so
please detail who, what, where and when the checks were carried out.
•  Has GHP ever failed and inspection?
•  What contracts/agreements does the Ministry have with GHP in regards to ANY
accommodation services? Please supply copies as appropriate.
•  How much money has been paid to GHP in the last financial year? Gross
excluding GST.
•  Have any restrictions or penalties been imposed on GHP at any time, if so when
and what for.
•  What is the legal entity the ministry deals with in regards to GHP? If more than
one please detail the relationship with each one.
For the sake of clarity, I will answer your questions in turn. Some answers have been
combined due to their similarity in nature.
•  What standards do emergency housing providers have to meet to be qualified
to supply emergency accommodation as contracted (or not) to the Ministry?
•  What contracts/agreements does the Ministry have with Glenview Holiday Park
(GHP)  in regards to ANY accommodation services? Please supply copies as
appropriate.
The current model of providing emergency accommodation uses Special Needs Grants
(EH SNG) to pay for commercial accommodation options for people who are in urgent
need of somewhere to stay. The Ministry does not contract motels or other suppliers
of accommodation to provide emergency housing. It should be noted that the Ministry
of Housing and Urban Development does  currently hold contracts with motels in
Rotorua for the purpose of Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) to address the urgent
need in the area. This is the only location which CEH exists for any government agency.
As the Ministry does not hold any contracts with Glenview Holiday Park, this part of
your request is refused under section 18(e) of the Act as this information does not
exist.
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The Aurora Centre, 56 The Terrace, PO Box 1556, Wel ington  • Telephone 0-4-916 3300 • Facsimile 0-4-918 0099

Our priority is to ensure individuals and whānau who have nowhere to stay have safe
and secure accommodation as soon as it is required.  We  work  hard  to  ensure
emergency accommodation is appropriate for these people in their unique
circumstances. We expect suppliers of emergency accommodation,  to meet all the
relevant housing and service standards set by local or regional regulatory authorities.
The Ministry’s  Regional Housing team liaise with  moteliers to resolve  any  issues
regarding quality or service as they arise.
The suppliers we use are commercial businesses and therefore should meet all relevant
standards imposed by the regulatory authorities of that industry. We expect our clients
to receive the same quality of service as any other paying guest staying at the motel.
Likewise, we expect our clients to respect the rules that any of those moteliers have
in place to ensure equal consideration to other guests.  We  regularly  check  in  with
clients and moteliers to ensure that their stay in their emergency accommodation is
suitable when renewing an EH SNG.
•  Has GHP been checked in the last three years, if so please detail who, what,
where and when the checks were carried out.
Businesses register as suppliers with the Ministry for the sole purpose that the Ministry
can pay the businesses directly. This allows the Ministry to facilitate making payments
directly  into  their  bank  accounts. Registering as a supplier does not create a
contractual relationship between the Ministry and the supplier.
Suppliers are free to cease providing services to the Ministry at their request. Clients
are also free to reject an accommodation option provided by the Ministry should they
wish to.
Preliminary checks  are  performed  by the Ministry when establishing a supplier of
emergency accommodation to ensure the  supplier’s  legitimacy and suitability for
Ministry clients.  This  could  include  checking  the  New Zealand Companies Register,
completing an insolvency check or running an internet search to confirm they are an
established accommodation provider,  as well as a phone call with the motelier  to
establish how suitable the supplier will be for Ministry clients.
Suppliers are required to provide general information such as trading name, address,
phone number, bank account details, IRD number, GST number, and anything further
they can provide to show the legitimacy of their business.
The Ministry also checks infolog.co.nz for details of property ownership or may request
a written contract for the authority to ask on behalf of the landlord.
The accommodation supplier used is chosen on the basis of the client’s household
needs, and the availability of options in the area.

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•  How are standards checked/verified or enforced by the Ministry?
•  Is the Healthy Homes standards used, if not why not?
•  Who checks this for the South Waikato District?
•  Has GHP ever failed and inspection?
As explained above, setting and enforcing appropriate building standards are  the
responsibility of the local and regional regulatory authorities. This is typically a local
or regional council, or other local governance group. Therefore, the Ministry does not
perform inspections, nor does not hold any information regarding inspections
performed by local and regional regulatory authorities.
As the emergency accommodation used are typically commercial properties, the
Healthy Homes standards are not applicable to these properties as they are not private
rentals. The application and enforcement of the Healthy Homes Standards is not the
responsibility of the Ministry and falls within the portfolio of the Ministry of Business,
Innovation and Employment.
•  How much money has been paid to GHP in the last financial year? Gross
excluding GST.
From 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, Glenview Holiday Park has been paid $240.00 in
hardship payments. Please note that the Ministry is unable to provide gross values
excluding GST.
•  Have any restrictions or penalties been imposed on GHP at any time, if so when
and what for.
The Ministry has not placed any restrictions or penalties on Glenview Holiday Park at
any time and does not have any information to suggest any restrictions or penalties
have been placed on Glenview Holiday Park by other agencies at any time.
•  What is the legal entity the ministry deals with in regards to GHP? If more than
one please detail the relationship with each one.
The supplier name which uses the registered business name Glenview Holiday Park is
known  to  the  Ministry  as  PNL  Alliance  Limited.  PNL Alliance Limited is a registered
supplier with the Ministry for accommodation purposes.
The principles and purposes of the Official Information Act 1982 under which you made
your request are:
•  to  create  greater  openness  and  transparency  about  the  plans,  work  and
activities of the Government,
•  to  increase  the  ability  of  the  public  to  participate  in  the  making  and
administration of our laws and policies and
•  to lead to greater accountability in the conduct of public affairs.
This Ministry fully supports those principles and purposes. The Ministry therefore
intends to make the information contained in this letter and any attached documents
available to the wider public. The Ministry will do this by publishing this letter the
Ministry of Social Development’s website. Your personal details will be deleted, and
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the Ministry will not publish any information that would identify you as the person who
requested the information.
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact
[MSD request email].
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to seek an investigation
and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is
available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi nui
P.P.

Karen Hocking
General Manager
Housing
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