{"id":25790,"date":"2020-06-17T12:27:41","date_gmt":"2020-06-17T00:27:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/propertynoise.co.nz\/au\/?p=25790"},"modified":"2020-06-17T12:27:41","modified_gmt":"2020-06-17T00:27:41","slug":"marlene-kairouzs-resignation-from-cabinet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/propertynoise.co.nz\/au\/marlene-kairouzs-resignation-from-cabinet\/","title":{"rendered":"Marlene Kairouz\u2019s resignation from cabinet"},"content":{"rendered":"

PHOTO: Marlene Kairouz.\u00a0Photo:\u00a0Justin McManus<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The end of Consumer Affairs Minister Marlene Kairouz\u2019s turn in the portfolio brings to a close a year that by any measure was shaping up as one to forget for her and the department.<\/p>\n

Ms Kairouz, appointed in 2016 to the consumer affairs portfolio, resigned from cabinet on Tuesday morning after\u00a0The Age<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a060 Minutes<\/em>\u00a0revealed\u00a0she was recorded<\/a>\u00a0encouraging parliamentary staff to work on branch-stacking activities with\u00a0former powerbroker Adem Somyurek<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\n

A look inside the Sydney homes of The Voice Australia coaches<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

But beyond the easy picture opportunities and ready-made quotes that the portfolio affords its holder about dodgy toys and holiday accommodation refunds, media-shy Ms Kairouz was often not seen or heard from publicly, and two notable bungles amid the coronavirus crisis left many in the property sector confused.<\/p>\n

First was the debacle over whether\u00a0inspections of occupied properties could occur<\/a>. The government\u2019s own websites had conflicting information; clarity coming only at 7pm the day before the Easter long weekend after repeated questions from\u00a0Domain<\/em>\u00a0that they were not.<\/p>\n

Until Monday,\u00a0when the websites were updated<\/a>, clarifying that they could.<\/p>\n

The confusion left the industry, one of the state\u2019s key revenue drivers, baffled and\u00a0spooked the few vendors<\/a>\u00a0trying to sell amid the worst of the pandemic lockdown.<\/p>\n

READ MORE VIA DOMAIN<\/a><\/p>\n

MOST POPULAR<\/span><\/h3>\n