Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .
Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 1 Hansard (16 February) . . Page.. 178 ..
MS TUCKER: I ask a supplementary question. If the Chief Minister were to find herself in the situation, representing the ACT, where it became clear that there was general agreement that this convention did hold a position for the argument against the laws in the Northern Territory, what would be the position of the ACT Government on the role of conventions and on the role of the Federal Government?
MR SPEAKER: That is totally hypothetical.
MS CARNELL: Now we are totally hypothetical. If a court ruled that the governments were acting contrary to an international treaty, then it would not be this Assembly that determined which way forward they took it. We have been subject to a situation in this house, both on heroin trials and on SIPs, where we have had legal opinions both ways. Legal opinions have said that they were contrary and that they were not contrary. But we went ahead anyway. Why? Because I believed and the majority of people in this place believed that the approach we were taking was in the interests of the people who live here. For the life of me, I do not understand why this is different. If they are contravening an international treaty, then the Federal Government will follow up in the courts.
MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for housing. Minister, I am sure you have been advised, if you needed to be, that accommodation in this town is tight. Vacancy levels are at record lows, and the usual January influx of students and transferees has meant that the pressure is on rental properties. There are stories of prospective tenants who are so desperate to secure a property that they would offer far more than the rent that is being asked in order to secure a tenancy. As it was revealed during the discussion on the plight of the Kosovars, there were at that time hundreds of government rental properties untenanted. Families who are desperate would welcome the opportunity to move to suitable vacant properties. Others properties might not be livable, I acknowledge, without extensive and expensive work, and I agree with the Minister that we would not want to move people into housing that does not meet the standards of the Residential Tenancies Act, so the Minister need not spend his time answering the question on that point. My question particularly concerns one example in the heart of the city - and can we stick to this? - Reid Court in Allambee Street. Up to eight units in this desirable older persons housing complex have been vacant for some considerable time - or they were a week ago when I looked around and spoke to people. Some have been painted and recarpeted. My question is: Why have you not acted to fill them? Will you also, in answering, scotch the rumour that you would like this site to be sold?
MR SMYTH
: Mr Speaker, since I became the Minister for housing, it has been my constant aim to ensure that we house our tenants in appropriate housing and that we get appropriate mixes of tenants so that the amenity of one group is not spoiled by the arrival of another group in that locality. The block of units that Mr Wood speaks of has predominantly an older population and they live on the ground floor. Why do they live on the ground floor? Because unfortunately in their ageing years the second floor is often very hard for them to utilise and does not give them the level of amenity they need. We offer appropriate tenants those units where we can, in the expectation and the
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .