Page 3549 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 12 October 1994
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Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, the housing review is aimed at improving services to clients of the housing programs and ensuring that the administration of the program is cost-effective and accountable. In this context, improved service to clients includes, for example, a one-stop shop for seeking housing assistance and associated services, and flexibility and choice in matching client needs and preferences with various forms of assistance. The housing review recommendations are wide ranging. Key reform measures include:
. Integrating service delivery through the establishment of client service teams in the Housing Trust's district offices. This means that decisions will be made by staff at the service delivery level. Clients will be able to receive the full range of services at the one point and know the outcome of their requests quickly.
. Improving the communication of information on options for housing assistance and services to clients. This means that staff and clients will have a better understanding of the programs and schemes that can help people and be guided by the rights and responsibilities of tenants and mortgagors.
. Developing effective links with public and community sector providers of related services. This will result in a better understanding by staff of the professional services that can help those clients who require other support services provided by government and non-government agencies. It will inevitably make for a better living environment in public housing.
. Restructuring the Housing Trust's organisation structure along functional lines. This will see the separation of client services, asset and financial management, and strategic housing policy functions in ACT Housing.
. Changes to funding and financial management arrangements for housing programs by adopting accrual accounting techniques, applying business principles to the commercial activities and by transparent recording of costs and subsidies.
. Improving housing asset and debt management. This recognises the significant investment that the ACT community has made in its public housing stock and the need to strategically plan its good management for the benefit of current and future generations.
. Major adjustments to procedures and systems to support the diversity of changes. This will be crucial to ensuring efficient and effective housing services, and to using appropriate technology to support the staff of the Housing Trust to better deliver services.
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