Page 782 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 13 April 1994
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Essentially, members, I believe that this is a quite sensible proposal. It certainly will help the landlords and prevent them from being out of pocket. We are not dealing here with people with dozens of properties, I would remind members. Most people in this city - we know this from the land tax debates - are small landlords. They might have one or two houses. They cannot afford to have people defaulting on the rents. It is not enough for the Government to wash its hands of this by claiming that it is the landlord's responsibility. It is public money, and the community, I believe, reasonably expects these funds to be spent as intended, and that is in the form of rent relief.
The alternative to this proposal is for the Housing Trust to reimburse the landlord for the unpaid rent and then seek restitution from the defaulting tenants. My experience with the trust would indicate that that is doomed to failure, because they have not been able to do that very effectively in the past in other areas. There is another alternative, and that is to do nothing - to allow to continue the situation where public money is being wasted. I do not believe that that is a reasonable option. I believe that what I have proposed here is eminently sensible. No additional administrative charges are involved. I believe that in taking this step the trust would improve its services, the landlords would not be inconvenienced, and the viability of the rent relief scheme in relation to the majority of decent, honest tenants would not be put in jeopardy by the actions of a minority. I commend the motion to the house.
Debate (on motion by Mr Lamont) adjourned.
Sitting suspended from 12.20 to 2.30 pm
AUTHORITY TO RECORD AND BROADCAST PROCEEDINGS
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (2.30): Madam Speaker, I ask for leave to move a motion regarding the recording of proceedings today, Wednesday, 13 April. The motion that has been circulated is in Mr Berry's name, but would members permit me to move it.
Leave granted.
MS FOLLETT: I move:
That the Assembly authorises:
(1) the recording on video tape without sound by television networks of proceedings during Question Time, today, Wednesday, 13 April 1994; and
(2) the use by any television station of any part of the recorded proceedings in subsequent news, current affairs and documentary programs and not for the purposes of satire or ridicule.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
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