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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 7 Hansard (24 June) . . Page.. 2376 ..

MRS BURKE

Turning to housing: we see supporting tenancies through effective tenancy management; allocating properties to eligible applicants and community organisations, in a way that ensures long-term housing solutions; assessing the eligibility and needs of our clients; and managing public housing assets, including the provision of appropriate and timely maintenance. It is a portfolio which best meets the existing and emerging needs of clients, supporting the community housing sector and providing information that is clear and relevant, and offers choices to applicants and tenants.

We must ensure that many of these objectives are given the resources needed to make them work. I am concerned that, whilst they are excellent things to be aiming for, there will be a struggle to get some of these up and running in our community. This is one of the areas at which money is simply being thrown, in an effort to band-aid and mask a more deeply underlying situation. I know the money allocated in this budget will go some way towards addressing that, but we are not meeting the needs of many people out there.

We must ensure that we do not treat our tenants like second-class citizens. Minister, you may or may not know that many of them feel like that right now, simply because of the system-and often because of the way people are treated.

Maybe there is a mechanism there. Maybe there are unmet needs in the area of training. I do not see the budget addressing that in any great detail. I will talk about that later. We should be sincere in our approach when dealing with tenants. I wait with interest to see how the minister will ensure that the strategic and operational issues are followed through. I will be watching carefully.

One of the biggest challenges facing this minister and this government is that of affordable housing-indeed we would all acknowledge that. As previously mentioned, $3 million will be made available for affordable housing and I commend that. There will be $13.4 million over four years for increased short-term supported accommodation.

I am also pleased to hear about the rental bonds assistance program. Whilst I do not fully understand the ins and outs of that, I look forward to hearing more about it. I am to receive a briefing, and I thank the minister for that. Hopefully, this will address some of my issues in relation to people on low incomes wanting to access accommodation. That is a good start.

I have many questions with regard to the real and true commitment of this government, and the minister, to providing the people of Canberra with safe, affordable and appropriate social housing that supports the needs of clients in a sustainable environment.

From the things I am seeing, and the issues I hear raised, I am not sure we have put enough money into resourcing that area. If the minister can point me in the right direction and show me where he has done that, then I am sure I shall feel comforted. I believe this government is currently falling well short of many of these objectives. I will be vigorously pursuing these areas of unmet need.

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