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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 12 Hansard (13 November) . . Page.. 4108 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

I think I might have mentioned last week, too, that we did some tenant surveys. We got about a 96 per cent response to the survey we put out in 1995. We asked, "Tell us what is wrong with your property". All those things are very important in terms of planning maintenance. As you should also be aware, Ms McRae, because you were the shadow housing spokesperson for a while, a lot of our properties are at that stage where planned maintenance is important. So, we do have cyclical programs for that. Not only that; as I said earlier, we put our money where our mouth is. We are actually doing something. It is a continuation of ongoing improvements initiated by this Government.

MR WOOD: My question is to the Chief Minister. It concerns a soon-to-be-empty government building. If it is appropriate, you might pass it on to someone else. I welcome the opening shortly of the Tuggeranong Police Station; it is a good move. But 1 December is now earmarked for the closure of the police station at Erindale. Can the Chief Minister, or another Minister, inform the Assembly what plans there are for the use of the land and buildings? Has there been, or will there be, consultation with the community over the future use?

MR HUMPHRIES: As Minister acting in the place of the Minister for Urban Services, part of whose responsibility it is to deal with decommissioned buildings, I will take that question. The answer, in fact, is that the use for the building has not been determined as yet. I know that members of the Government, I included, have been approached by a number of organisations, including a nearby church, seeking access to the building once it is decommissioned. We listen sympathetically to all of those requests. We would like to make sure that the best use is made of that land, and perhaps of the buildings on that site, if that is reasonably cost effective. We will certainly look at all those matters. I do not believe any decision has been made about the use of the building; but, if any progress has been made about a decision on that matter, then I will certainly ensure a report is made to the Assembly by the Minister for Urban Services.

MR WOOD: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Humphries. Will you approach your colleagues and ensure that the police station and the buildings soon to be emptied do not suffer the same fate as another nearby public asset, the John Knight Hostel, which was left vacant for nearly two years to be vandalised and run down, imposing an unwarranted cost before new tenants can move in?

MR HUMPHRIES: There are much better examples than the John Knight Hostel of things run down. Holder High School is an excellent example of a building allowed to run down for years after it was closed. I am sure you can think of better examples than that, Mr Wood. No, it is not the Government's view to repeat the mistakes of the former Government and leave buildings to run down. We have taken the bit between our teeth and provided a very modern, very well designed and, I think, very architecturally significant police station for the citizens of Tuggeranong. It is near the town centre. We will be making sure that similar uses are made of the other, older site at Erindale which are compatible with the aspirations of the people of Tuggeranong.

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