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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 4 Hansard (3 April) . . Page.. 1381 ..

MS TUCKER: Thank you. I just want to respond to Mr Wood, and I repeat what Mr Corbell said-that the government will not seek to do things in a piecemeal or ad hoc manner, and the government is developing a holistic approach to addressing the issue of affordability.

What my motion says is "prepare a comprehensive response to the task force report". I am concerned that Mr Wood has said he will produce a "progress report". Of course, it is up to Mr Wood, but my amendment says, "prepare a comprehensive response to the task force report". Also, in light of Mr Corbell saying that it is the responsibility of the government, it is more than just a progress report. A comprehensive response to the task force report could include progress in terms of what the government has done. But what we are all looking for in this place is a holistic approach to addressing issues of affordability, which is what Mr Corbell said you would produce. It is for that reason that this is so important.

As I said before, I understand what Mr Wood is saying about the report's recommendations being far-stretching and that some of them are contentious, and so on. The government is not required to say that they do or do not agree to every recommendation; what we want is an overall response to this fairly substantial body of work and an overall response that is actually a strategy-how this government will deal with affordability in housing.

A progress report on a few little things that have happened so far is not a comprehensive response; it is avoiding producing an overall long-term response and plan for how to deal with this. I know it is a hard task; it is one that governments are struggling with all over Australia. But that does not mean that the government should not try to do it. It probably won't be perfect-and I am sure it won't be perfect-but it has got to be something.

I felt really disappointed, when I got the affordable housing task force report, that it was not itself producing a strategy or more specific initiatives. I was quite disappointed with a number of aspects of the report, I have to say. It did not produce a strategy. I would be concerned if now, again, we just got a few initiatives that the government report said it was undertaking. I repeat that this motion is asking for a "comprehensive response to this substantive piece of work". That is what the Assembly is expecting.

Amendment agreed to.

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Leave of absence

MRS DUNNE (4.52): I seek leave to move a motion concerning leave of absence for myself.

Leave granted.

I move:

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