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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 3 Hansard (26 March) . . Page.. 623 ..

MR WHITECROSS: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Will the Minister give an undertaking to this house that the management responsibilities of the Housing Trust will not be contracted out?

MR STEFANIAK: The management responsibilities of the Housing Trust? I said that there are a number of things which we are looking at in relation to the best possible terms for the ACT community. Some functions performed by the ACT Housing Trust are being reviewed to determine whether they can be best undertaken outside the organisation. For example, ACT Housing currently outsources its information technology needs. This was previously undertaken by the Department of Planning and Development in Victoria. It is now being undertaken by Andersen Consulting, as they have taken over from that Victorian department responsibility for providing services. It is envisaged that that function will continue to be outsourced.

We have also decided to call for expressions of interest from banks, building societies, credit unions and other bodies interested in providing the retail function of the Government's home loan service scheme. It is expected that advertisements will be placed shortly calling for a response from interested bodies. We will review those responses to ascertain whether or not this service could be provided more appropriately by an outside agent.

In line with the Hilmer reforms and the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement, housing has been divided into two groups to provide separate areas to manage property ownership and tenancy support. As Mr Whitecross might know, a lot of the maintenance is actually contracted out to private maintenance agents. That is something that will continue. I think it is something like 90 per cent. I believe that that 90 per cent, Mr Whitecross, actually occurred under the previous Labor Government. The Government has made no decision on the tenancy management function.

Members interjected.

Mr Berry: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I know that it is difficult to extract an answer out of this Minister, but what we do extract out of him we would like to be able to hear free from interjections by his Government colleagues.

MR SPEAKER: Order! I uphold the point of order. I would like to be able to hear the Minister's lucid response.

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, I would like to rise on another point of order and challenge you on the question of lucidity.

MR STEFANIAK: If he shuts up he might find out something, Mr Speaker. Can I continue?

MR SPEAKER: Continue, Mr Stefaniak.

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