Page 2402 - Week 11 - Thursday, 2 November 1989
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the agreement. These include the Commonwealth-State planning process, improved security of tenure and improved home purchase assistance arrangements. The objectives of the Commonwealth, such as improving planning and home purchase, are consistent with this Government's housing objectives. Naturally, we will be working in a cooperative manner to achieve these shared objectives. Through the ACT housing policy review, we have already commenced the process of examining the requirements of the new agreement with a view to implementing them progressively over this financial year. This Assembly will have the opportunity of debating the new Commonwealth-State housing agreement - - -
Mr Kaine: I raise a point of order. There is a section of our business paper in which Ministers can seek leave to make statements. This is clearly a prepared statement that the Minister is reading from, and the fact that it is in response to a question asked by a Labor Party fellow traveller is quite irrelevant. I would ask you for a ruling, Mr Speaker, on whether it is proper for the Minister to make a statement on a matter like this during question time.
MR SPEAKER: The point is, of course, that the question should be brief and so should the answer.
Mr Moore: Can I point out, as part of a very brief explanation, that I provided the question to the Minister earlier in order to get a reasonable answer instead of just trying to embarrass her.
Mr Kaine: In that case, Mr Speaker, it was a question on notice and should be dealt with accordingly.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you for that observation, Mr Kaine. Please be brief with your answer, Minister Grassby.
MRS GRASSBY: The new housing agreement does not require that all changes be introduced immediately. There will be progressive improvements and this will be at the same time as other works being undertaken by the ACT housing policy review.
Asbestos Insulation
MR COLLAERY: My question is to the Minister for Housing and Urban Services. Is the Minister aware that there are large areas of asbestos roofing in the ACT, both in private and public buildings? Is she also aware of recent revelations by the Asbestosis Society that dust samples taken from roofing gutters below such roofs contain 20 per cent cancer-causing asbestos fibre? Is the Minister aware that the Western Australian Department of Mines has recently completed an evaluation of a new encapsulation process for asbestos roofing developed by a Western Australian company? Has the Minister received any briefing
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