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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 13 Hansard (21 November) . . Page.. 4042 ..

(5) Are community service obligations operated by ACTEW/AGL means tested or in some other way checked for those occupants of public housing who benefit and if not, why not.

(6) How do occupants of public housing benefit under ACTEW/AGL's community

service obligations.

Mr Stanhope: The answer to the member's questions is as follows:

In response to your question, the "Plan For The Information Society" published in September 2001 contained five initiatives aimed at bridging the digital divide.

I am pleased to advise that three of these initiatives have already been progressed, including the following key initiatives:

� a Community IT Advisory Panel was established in June 2002;

� the Community IT Access Plan is well advanced and is due for release in early 2003; and

� a study into Connectivity Issues for Disadvantaged People was completed in June 2002.

The remaining two initiatives, namely an investigation into the establishment of community service obligations for telecommunications service providers (eg TransACT), and the PC Reuse Scheme are to be considered as part of the Community IT Access Plan as mentioned above.

Specific answers in relation to your question are therefore as follows:

(1) No. There is currently no community service obligation for TransACT for the provision of access to the broad band network for occupants of public housing.

(2) The investigation of a community service obligation for TransACT is being undertaken as part of the development of the Community IT Access Plan. The Plan is expected to be finalised in early 2003.

(3) A decision on whether or not the TransACT community service obligation initiative is to be pursued has not yet been taken.

(4) A decision on whether or not the TransACT community service obligation initiative is to be pursued has not yet been taken.

(5) Rebates on electricity, water and sewerage are provided by actual to holders of Centrelink Pension Cards, Centrelink Health Care Cards, Veterans Affairs Pension Cards and Veterans Affairs Gold Cards. All the concession cards with exception of the Veterans Affairs Goldcard are means-tested by the Commonwealth Government. Information on whether these clients are occupants of public housing is not kept and would breach their privacy.

(6) The ACT Concessions Program provides rebates to holders of Centrelink Pension Cards, Centrelink Health Care Cards, Veterans Affairs Pension Cards and Veterans Affairs Gold Cards regardless of their public housing status.

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