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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 3 Hansard (23 October) . . Page.. 4008 ..
MR WOOD
: It is about time Mrs Dunne was able to listen to what is said by the chair.Mrs Dunne
: Point of order, Mr Speaker.MR SPEAKER
: Mr Wood, resume your seat.Mrs Dunne
: On the point of order, Mr Speaker: on other occasions you have ruled out of order answers that refer to what people have said and done in previous governments and what they have said in the media, in particular. I think, therefore, that it is reasonable to ask that the minister not refer to what a previous minister may have said in a press release, but rather confine himself to what he proposes to do in the future about the current problem.MR SPEAKER
: Order, Mrs Dunne! Mrs Dunne, it is not open to you to ask questions of a minister about previous administrations but it is open to ministers to draw into focus the relationship between the various administrations and the effect that this has had on their departmental responsibilities.Mr Wood, I would ask you to keep to the subject matter of the question.
MR WOOD
: Yes, the subject matter in question is the issue about which we all share concern, the enjoyment of their tenancy by tenants, whether in public or private housing. That is the matter.Let me quote what Mr Smyth said on 30 August 1999: "I believe it is unfair for a few tenants to spoil life for the majority, who are model tenants."We agree with that. That is what Mr Smyth said as he was approaching these same problems and, sorry, I have to tell you, these problems are going to continue. If we can-
Mrs Burke
: What are you doing? Mamma mia!MR WOOD
: Mrs Burke, I have to tell you that these problems have been dealt with, attended to and considered by all administrations and yes, we do labour with them from time to time. I can go into further detail here. I will send you a copy of this media release.I work assiduously, as do ACT Housing officers, to resolve these difficult issues where they arise. As Mr Smyth said, it involves "a few tenants"but enough to create quite a disturbance in neighbourhoods. We do as we did yesterday: we acted very promptly because there was a situation of some danger. We acted very promptly to attend to that. I have discussed these issues with Mrs Burke and we are agreed that we must continue to battle with them. I do not have the answer so that I can rapidly click my fingers to resolve it.
We have employed more specialty officers in ACT Housing to handle difficult situations. We have convened round table discussions on particular cases of tenants who are causing trouble. We have gone to other agencies of the ACT government.
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