The MP and the tinnie house

A drug supermarket has been operating with almost total impunity next door to the electorate office of Labour MP Ross Robertson.

Mr Robertson runs his Manukau East electorate office from 7 Fulton Cres. Last week, the Herald on Sunday watched a stream of people come and go from the neighbouring "tinnie house" at 5/4 Fulton Cres. In just 2 1/2 hours, 40 people visited the tinnie house - while no one visited Mr Robertson's electorate office next door.

The tinnie house has been open for at least six months and been subject to a string of complaints to police from people living nearby.

However, it has been raided only once by police, with one man arrested on a drugs-related charge.

When confronted about the activity at the house, a man - sitting on a mattress behind a steel-grate door at the rear of the property - said: "We don't sell here any more."

Mr Robertson, who is also the assistant speaker, told the Herald on Sunday he was aware his neighbour was dealing drugs and he had spoken with police after the raid.

He said he had also spoken with police before the raid but that he could not remember when.

"I'm doing so many things and it's a bit hazy."

Mr Robertson asked the Herald on Sunday to leave out details about where his office was in relation to the tinnie house because he did not want to attract their anger.

"Do you have to run that sort of stuff though, because you're always mindful when that sort of stuff has been in the paper that my office might be vulnerable because the local member of Parliament has been involved. I'd like you to be careful with it because I don't want to get any reprisals as a result."

When asked for more details about the operation of the tinnie house, Mr Robertson said he was not in Otara often enough so could not be more specific.

"I'm not there so I don't know. I'm only there for a couple of hours on Friday afternoon to see constituents. Most of the time I'm in Wellington."

When police were told of the property, they responded with a statement from eastern area commander Inspector Jim Searle: "The police encourage anyone with information in relation to any crime to forward it to the nearest police station and this information will be used in due course."

As of yesterday, the property had not been raided again.

Newly appointed Otara station commander senior sergeant Andrew Berry confirmed a drug-related arrest had been made at 5/4 Fulton Cres last month but would not comment specifically on the property. "I am conscious ... that the community is concerned about tinnie houses in this area."

He believed there were "tens" but not "hundreds" of tinnie houses selling drugs in Otara. He said police resources were stretched and there were other incidents to attend.

National Party law and order spokesman Simon Power said the house should have been raided when the police were first told about it months ago.

"The police knew what was going on at this premises and had been advised - it's unacceptable."

-HERALD ON SUNDAY