Page 1308 - Week 04 - Thursday, 8 May 2014
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centre market, which is estimated to be worth about $40 billion by 2018. Datapod recently secured a contract with the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, which is the seventh largest water utility in the US. This is an exciting development for Datapod. It was a very, very competitive process and they are absolutely thrilled to have cracked the US market in such a big way.
It really gives it a very strong foothold in the US public sector market. As I have observed in this place before, the market for services to government in the United States is more than $1 trillion. It is bigger than the Australian economy. So taking advantage of the free trade arrangements that apply between our two countries, Canberra firms that have been excelling in selling to the Australian government are now accessing and selling their services to the US government in a market that is bigger than the Australian economy.
This is another example of a Canberra-based business having excellent success in putting forward a world-leading and innovative product, taking it to the marketplace and winning contracts. I think it further highlights the importance of continuing to grow the export market.
This economy is small. We are two per cent of the Australian economy and Australia is around two per cent of the world economy. If businesses are to grow out of this city, they have to have an export focus. It is fantastic to see that our exporters have been growing faster than the national average. (Time expired.)
Visitors
MADAM SPEAKER: Before I call Ms Lawder, I acknowledge the presence in the gallery today of members of University of the Third Age. Welcome to your Assembly.
Questions without notice
Housing—stock management
MS LAWDER: My question is to the Minister for Housing. Minister, you recently advised, in response to a letter regarding a constituent on the housing waiting list, that there were no modified class C properties currently available. On follow up, you advised that there is currently no record available of Housing ACT properties which have been modified to cater for people with a disability. I was also advised that a condition audit is currently taking place to establish this data for all 12,000 Housing ACT properties, but it will take five years to be completed. Minister, how can housing stock be effectively managed when the directorate does not hold a record of, among other things, the disability modifications which have been made to houses?
MR RATTENBURY: I thank Ms Lawder for the question. As Mr Lawder rightly identifies, there are around 12,000 properties managed by Housing ACT. They have quite a broad range of age, from some that are very new and are built to the best possible standards, with six-star energy ratings, and fully adaptable for people with a disability, through to houses that are, frankly, quite old. It is true that Housing ACT does not have a full account of all the features of each of those properties. That is why
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