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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 13 Hansard (26 November) . . Page.. 4651 ..

Amendment agreed to.

MS MacDONALD (11.40): I will be brief. I just wanted to thank all members for their contribution to the debate. I appreciate the issues that have been raised and the recognition that is being given to the participants within occupational health and safety, notably ACT WorkCover and all those small businesses out there that carry out the message as well about the importance of good occupational health and safety. I thank Ms Tucker for her amendment, which is acceptable, and I thank everybody for their contribution to the debate. I commend the motion.

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Currong apartments

MS TUCKER (11.41): I move:

That this Assembly, noting the Government's commitment to maintain stocks of public housing in the ACT, calls on the Government to:

(1) until there has been an increase in the number of public housing properties in the ACT to a number 212 higher than the number at 28 October 2003:

(a) to cancel plans to demolish Currong Apartments;

(b) not to move out residents who would prefer to stay at Currong Apartments;

(2) to reconsider the options for refurbishing the Currong Apartments as ongoing public housing, taking into account the reports on options prepared for the ACT Government in September 1998, 1999 and May 2001;

(3) to report back to the Legislative Assembly by the end of the last sitting week in February 2004.

I put this motion today because I believe we do need to have this debate. The government has announced its decision on the Currong apartments and has yet to justify that decision in this place. I appreciate the briefing organised for members and, through that briefing, having access to the background information.

Given the range of consultants' investigations, feasibility studies and option papers over the years, it is worth reconsidering this decision. I hope that this Assembly will support my motion, which calls on the government to, at the very least, put a halt on the demolition plans and on moving people who would prefer to stay until we know that we have an equivalent number of ACT Housing properties in the ACT.

My motion also calls on the government to reconsider the decision. I am sure that the government did put thought into the decision but, if the Assembly agrees that at this time Currong is an essential and valuable public housing asset from the perspective of social equity and that it is worth having another look at it, then maybe some solution can be found that does not involve removing Currong entirely from the housing stock. Currong

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