Page 5454 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 8 December 2009
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MS BURCH: I thank the member for the question.
Mr Smyth: Uh oh!
MS BURCH: It is an “uh oh” moment yet again. Maintenance in public housing is done by Spotless under a total facilities management arrangement and contract. I understand that we are the only jurisdiction that has a total facilities management contract in place. Approximately $380 million worth of work will occur in 2009-10. Spotless conducts all work through its subcontractor base, supervisors and managers, audits and repairs. The total management contract is for three years. The department of housing noted the Auditor-General’s report and the 11 recommendations that we agreed to and have progressed. I also note that this morning in the Assembly the committee—
Mr Seselja: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: the question was very specific—the opportunities for improvement that have been identified and what improvements have been implemented to date. I would ask you to direct Ms Burch to the question.
MR SPEAKER: Frankly, Mr Seselja, I am surprised you could hear what Ms Burch was saying over the racket. Ms Burch, you have the floor to continue.
MS BURCH: Thank you. I was saying that I also note that the public accounts committee tabled a report today which we will respond to in turn. Efficiencies have been made when people put in a call for maintenance and where they log maintenance. We have made improvements around logging. We have made improvements around response times. We have made improvements around what we use, the materials, when responding to maintenance. For example, if there is a call-out to fix heating we will replace that with energy efficient heating. Just in 2009-10, we have provided $9.7 million of responsive repairs, $13 million of planned maintenance, $14 million of capital upgrades, and that includes energy efficiency items within public housing. We have put half a million dollars into the Narrabundah long-stay park upgrades and day-to-day responsively planned in common areas. We have responded to the Auditor-General’s report and we have made improvements.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, a supplementary question?
MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister what were the difficulties and delays in implementing the total facilities maintenance contract, and are these difficulties still being experienced?
MS BURCH: Again, matters that were covered in the pack, highlighted again in the pack today, we will respond to. We are negotiating the total facilities management contract with Spotless. The original contract was in 2005 for a period of three years, with two by two-year options. That is the contract that we are working through because they are providing service to the public housing sector.
MS PORTER: A supplementary, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Porter.
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