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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 7 Hansard (18 June) . . Page.. 1799 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

Mr Speaker, I will not read right through the objects of this Act as they are before members in the legislation. They make me feel that what the Minister has provided for us is a real sense of social location rather than dislocation, a real sense of social justice, and a real sense of community. That is what comes through this kind of agreement. It is very important that the Minister, in his discussions with the Federal Government as they seek to make changes to the housing situation, continue the approach he has brought to the Assembly now.

I know that you, Mr Speaker, in your role as Opposition spokesman in this area for a number of years, on many occasions raised issues, both in letters and in the Assembly, where people had not been dealt with fairly and sought to ensure, case by case, that public housing in the Territory was conducted appropriately. On many occasions I shared with you concerns about individuals. In this case I think it is appropriate for us to ensure that that concern for individuals goes right across the whole spectrum of housing and the housing agreements. That is why, Mr Speaker, I will be supporting this legislation.

MR HIRD (11.37): The purpose of the proposed amendments to the Housing Assistance Act 1987 is to give effect to the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement, which is proposed - - -

Ms McRae: He is practising to be Minister.

MR SPEAKER: Order!

MR HIRD: Will you give me protection, Mr Speaker, from that rabble over there?

MR SPEAKER: Order! That is exactly what I am doing.

MR HIRD: Thank you very much, sir. The agreement is due to commence on 1 July this year. The Bill makes explicit the Government's objectives, both in signing this CSHA and in administering housing assistance in the ACT, by incorporating a statement of objectives in the legislation; overcomes some technical inconsistencies within sections 16 and 17 of the Act; and removes financial administration inconsistencies with the ACT financial management reforms. The current CSHA was appended to the Housing Assistance Act 1987 as a Schedule. This occurred prior to the ACT becoming a signatory to the CSHA, with the intention of reflecting the ACT's alignment with the principles of the CSHA. As the ACT now is a formal signatory to the CSHA and bound by the provisions of that agreement, the original purpose for the Schedule is redundant.

Clause 5 inserts a new section 3A in Part I of the principal Act, which states the objectives which the Minister is to consider in the administration of the principal Act. To enshrine these objectives in the main body of the legislation mirrors Federal legislation and emphasises the move towards housing assistance which is outcome focused and performance based. Clause 6, new Part IIA, relates to the availability for free public inspection of any new CSHAs, now that they are no longer to be included in that Schedule to the principal Act. Clause 7 amends section 15 of the principal Act to include

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