It is almost unbelievable that the government is still planning to sell off state houses in Tauranga, with the average house price in Tauranga now rising to $500,000. For the past 80 years governments have built state houses to provide good housing for all families, but this government is backing out.

We have a housing shortage but the government has no plans to increase state housing. It is planning to sell state houses simply to raise money. It is desperately trying to find more income because it cannot pay for its promises.

It is embarrassing that our local National MPs can provide no credible reason to support state house sales. They are acting more like messenger boys for the Prime Minister than representing their electorates.

They should be telling the Prime Minister to have some guts and admit that selling state houses and damaging the lives of thousands of families is a bad way to solve his economic problems, particularly when he told us in this year's budget how important the welfare of families is.

P Dey, Welcome Bay