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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 14 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 5130 ..

MRS DUNNE (continuing):

I would be quite happy to talk to QIC. QIC has proved, through the interventions of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment, that it is quite happy to talk to community groups. For a long time it was not allowed to do that. Only after consultation will we be able to solve some of the problems being experienced by community groups. I was taken aback when Mr Corbell said earlier, "We do not have a problem. We have lots of community space-child-care centres, youth centres and community halls."Those are not the sorts of spaces that we are talking about.

We will not set up a soup kitchen for homeless people next to a child-care centre or in the same building as a child-care centre. We will not set them up in a community hall or in a neighbourhood hall. When the minister referred earlier to a long list of community services I was waiting for him to start listing schools, which are all community facilities. However, people have specialised needs. The minister referred also to old Watson High School. The minister should visit that school to establish the state of the buildings.

Ms Dundas was right when she said earlier that community organisations around this town are doing work at the bidding of the government in facilities in which we would not let public servants work and in which we would not work. These are real and valid concerns. It does not matter what government is in office; the community has a right to voice these concerns and to have them addressed. If members agree to the amendments that I moved earlier, Liberal Party members will support the motion.

MR HARGREAVES (5.11): In addressing the amendments and the substantive motion I am confident that the new Griffin Centre will provide significantly improved accommodation for all existing tenants. The new purpose-built building will provide outstanding accommodation for the delivery of community services. The development of the new Griffin Centre is a demonstration of the government's commitment to ensuring that the needs of our community are best met.

This will be achieved in a location that puts community facilities at the heart of our city centre. The design of the new Griffin Centre offers a flexible floor plan that will maximise the potential for existing and future requirements. These issues are being resolved through a consultative process with the Griffin Centre. Regular meetings are being held with the Griffin Centre board, the Queensland Investment Corporation and its architects, Cox Humphries Moss, and the department. Far from diminishing the resources available to support the needs of the most vulnerable in our community, the department continues to examine options to better meet these needs in the most appropriate locations.

Members will be aware that the department has commenced the development of an integrated asset management strategy for its community facilities. Extensive consultation has taken place with the community and that strategy will be available in the new year. The Griffin Centre in Civic is currently the best location to provide services for the homeless. In developing an asset management strategy the department is ensuring that a process is in place to monitor and manage the provision of facilities in those areas in which they are most needed.

Further aspects that are being dealt with in the asset management strategy are the provision and location of services and how best to plan for future need. Clearly, the department is addressing planning for both the provision of community services and

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