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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 8 Hansard (25 August) . . Page.. 2388 ..

MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, my question is to Mr Smyth, the Minister for housing. Minister, up to the present time, how many ACT Housing properties have been formally and finally transferred to the community housing sector, and is your program for this on target?

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, Community Housing Canberra is working very closely with ACT Housing to provide an alternative provider for public accommodation in the ACT. With that in mind we have been offering them a number of houses that they can look at and assess as to their needs. I do not seem to have the final details of the exact number with me. I will take the member's question on notice and get him a firm number.

MR WOOD: I have a supplementary question. One of the concerns that I have expressed about that transfer is the capacity of some groups that have been approached to manage housing, since it is not their field. Can you indicate now or in your later information what training has taken place or will take place for new organisations coming into this area?

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, since the proposal was announced there has been a lot of interest from a large number of community groups and we are working with them as part of the $200,000 grant from the Federal Government. It is to set up a model that can be applicable anywhere to improve the number of community housing organisations around the country. I will ask for further information on what has occurred with those groups and give it to the member when I have it.

MR HIRD: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Treasurer, Mr Humphries. I refer to the recent announcement that the ACT budget is now on track to go genuinely into the black within the next 12 months for the first time since self-government. Can the Treasurer confirm whether this remarkable improvement in our financial position was based upon the proceeds of a merger of the ACTEW Corporation as has already been claimed by the Leader of the Opposition?

Mr Wood: Just sell it off anyway.

Mr Stanhope: When did I say that?

Mr Kaine: This only happened since the Treasurer took the job over two days ago.

MR SPEAKER: Order!

MR HUMPHRIES: I am glad there is such interest in the question, Mr Speaker, and I thank Mr Hird for that question.

Mr Wood: You raided it to the extent of half a billion dollars, Harold. That is what happened.

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