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."