Page 3656 - Week 08 - Thursday, 19 August 2010
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great houses in his electorate, or Mr Doszpot, as the ACT Liberals have obviously back flipped on their position on the stimulus funds. I am increasingly calling it the Trinity twist. But, somehow, I do not think he will turn up, because the ACT Liberals hate public housing. That is why you never hear a peep from them on public housing. They hate it, and they are ashamed of their record. Understandably so—let us look at the record. Labor builds; the Liberals destroy. Brendan Smyth ripped 1,000 properties out of our public housing stock when he was in charge—1,000 families left out in the cold thanks to Brendan Smyth.
This question is about progress in development. Let me tell you about our progress: it has taken Labor many years to repair the damage done by Brendan Smyth and the Liberals—1,000 properties gone thanks to Mr Smyth. I will finish by saying the federal stimulus money was an excellent economic strategy, and this Labor government is using the money to build hundreds of roofs over the heads of needy Canberrans, above and beyond our targets.
Mr Hargreaves: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: the place sounds like a pub.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Ms Burch, have you finished?
MS BURCH: I have, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Ms Porter has the floor to ask a supplementary question.
MS PORTER: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, how will these housing developments benefit older Canberrans and families currently on the waiting lists?
MS BURCH: The homes that will be built on these sites are located close to shops, to pharmacies, to doctors, to bus stops and to major transport links. The land is available because the ACT government has provided land to Housing ACT at no cost.
The land provided is currently valued at over $30 million and it is located within existing suburbs. It will help our older Canberrans age in place. Most of the residents who will be living in these properties have brought up their families in and around these suburbs.
The construction of these older persons units will enable people currently residing in public housing that are now in excess of their needs to move into brand new, centrally located units. When they vacate their existing houses, homeless families in well established suburbs will be able to be accommodated. The properties that older clients vacate will be utilised to accommodate clients waiting on our application list.
These stimulus-funded older persons developments are a triple win for Canberra. Firstly, they provide much needed quality modern accommodation for older people. Secondly, when other economies were failing and unemployment was increasing, the stimulus package protected valuable building and construction jobs. Thirdly, as older people move into these excellent properties, we will free up larger homes that will be allocated to the families on our priority and high need waiting list.
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