The Minister for Social Development says she's disturbed by the 1 NEWS stories this week on the South Auckland boarding house WISE Guys.
As a result Minister Carmel Sepuloni is promising to re-look at the regulations and laws governing boarding houses as more revelations of improper conduct emerge involving a WISE Guys founder.
"Clearly I'm shocked by the footage that I've seen so I've already been on the phone with our Housing Minister to discuss options moving forward," Ms Sepuloni says.
The minister says as the law stands she can't intervene or stop people going to WISE Guys because the boarding house isn't illegal - but the ministry has responded.
"Since MSD started to have their concerns, they've declined in referrals onto this boarding house," Ms Sepuloni said.
"In fact in there were no referrals directly from MSD in November."
Tonight, WISE Guys co-founder and clinical director Stephan John is in the spotlight.
There are allegations on New Year's eve 2014 he was drunk on site, which is a serious breach of the strict no alcohol rules he helped set up.
A former WISE Guys employee made the claims.
"Stephan was drinking and later on that night he started making advances onto one of the tenant’s partners," he said.
"That tenant then confronted Mr John in a corridor. Stephan got beaten and put in hospital for it."
the former employee called the police and gave a witness statement. But he's astounded the man in charge of counselling could openly flout the rules.
"It made me quite angry actually 'cos we evicted guys for just like having bottles of alcohol in their room," he says.
"Yet he seems to think he can get away with it."
1 NEWS approached Mr John for comment on these allegations. He didn't address them but his fellow director Brent Milesi confirmed he was drinking that night and there was fight.
Carmel Sepuloni says she’ll now look at the regulations governing boarding houses.
"We're very heartened that they've taken notice and that they’re looking into it," Ms Sepuloni said.
"It seems like they're taking it seriously."
Ms Sepuloni's advice to WISE Guy's management is to run their boarding house with ethics in mind.
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