Page 1603 - Week 06 - Thursday, 7 June 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Realignment of the public housing stock has been well overdue. Successive housing ministers have had information to hand indicating an increasing demand for two-bedroom dwellings. It is astounding that the Minister for Housing has used words such as “underutilisation” when referring to public housing stock. The minister’s suggestion that the equivalent of 500 three-bedroom public housing properties are sitting empty is difficult to comprehend, given the breakdown he provided yesterday in this place during question time to validate himself. I quote his figures, which he maintains were accurate as at 4 June 2007: standard routine vacancies, 94; properties awaiting demolition, 7; properties awaiting or undergoing redevelopment of allocation, 186; properties awaiting or undergoing upgrade or refurbishment, 33; properties waiting to be sold, nine; and new properties or new vacant properties, 15—a grand total of 344.
Why did the minister state in his media release that “Housing ACT estimates that underutilisation has resulted in the equivalent of 500 three-bedroom homes sitting empty”? Perhaps his release should have made clear, in terms of the additional information that came to light in question time yesterday, that they were properties “with bedrooms in over-entitlement”. The argument surrounding the matter of equivalence is no longer relevant. A more accurate reflection of the situation—that 344 properties are currently vacant or, dare I say, offline—is the figure that should have appeared in his budget release, with an accompanying explanation. Better management practices and efficiency gains are still needed in the public housing portfolio. This one-off funding boost is indicative of a minister not able to effectively manage current funds in order to house Canberrans most in need for the duration of that need.
I will now focus on the $600,000 injection for safety upgrades and maintenance for the residents of the current site of the Narrabundah Long Stay Caravan Park. I sincerely hope, given a media release by the Chief Minister this afternoon, that he will continue to sort out the apparent complexities that his government appears to be having with the expedition of the land swap in order that this project can be delivered to improve some of the occupational health and safety aspects of the park’s infrastructure.
There can only be a breakdown in negotiation on two fronts: a lack of what could be seen as clear communication between the ACT government and the National Capital Authority and, secondly, an inability to be able at this stage to meet the specific needs of the development company engaged in the land swap deal. Is it true that today the Chief Minister has actually communicated with the NCA on this issue? That would be amazing. Along with this, he may now do the residents the courtesy of ceasing to blame the NCA when the ball has been in his court since December 2006. For the sake of the residents of the park, I hope that this upgrade funding can be expended soon, subject to an expedited exchange of sites between Dytin Pty Ltd and the ACT government.
Mr Speaker, last but certainly not least is the large area of health to which the most funding has been directed in this budget. I would like to reflect now upon the poignant statement made by my colleague Mr Smyth yesterday that the Stanhope government prides itself on pouring an extra $300 million into the health system over the life of
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .