Page 5787 - Week 18 - Tuesday, 10 December 1991
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MR JENSEN: No, they are not; but, when you get a concentration of them without facilities and they have to draw on our welfare system, there is not much point in having the welfare system hundreds and hundreds of yards away, Mr Wood, when they are the sort of people who are going to draw on them much more often.
Mr Wood: That is rather a slight.
MR JENSEN: Well, it may be, Mr Wood; but I am suggesting that you remember the problems associated with this that we had in Melba. They are some of the reasons why we had those problems and that is why we have had to break public housing down into smaller groups within our community.
Mr Wood: Like this; much smaller groups.
MR JENSEN: No, I am sorry, Mr Wood; that is not small. That is not small and it is a long way from - - -
Mrs Nolan: There is a social cost in this, Bill. It is too far out.
Mr Wood: Will you tell me how many units there are in this?
Mrs Nolan: Twenty-four.
MR JENSEN: There are to be 24 units, Mr Wood, in an area like that. There are about 16 units in the block next door, single-storey, three- and four-bedroom homes. I think, Mr Wood, that unfortunately we are talking about a need for the Housing Trust to learn the lessons of the past and not continue to put these places so far out into the suburbs where there are no facilities. That is the point. There are no facilities out there to support them. You need to go and have a look, Mr Wood. You need to find out how far away they are from basic facilities. I think the majority of these people do not have ready access to second cars or first cars. This is the problem.
Mr Wood: What about Conder?
MR JENSEN: Yes, Mr Wood, there are similar problems. In fact, my colleague Mr Collaery, when he was Minister for Housing, gave instructions that no public housing was to go out in that part of Canberra, for the very same reason that I am providing to you now. That is why, Mr Speaker, it is inappropriate and that is why the community felt concerned.
The other day at a meeting Mr Wood said, "I want selfish arguments; I listen to selfish arguments". One of the arguments that I have already given relates to property values. There will be a decrease in property values.
Mr Wood: Why?
Mrs Nolan: That is not a fair argument.
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