Page 1162 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 25 March 2015

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I think the observation Ms Berry has just made, the information she already provided today and her undertaking to come back to the Assembly with information she can provide in a timely manner, address the point Ms Lawder is seeking to make. Also I accept the observations made by the Chief Minister around the potential complexity and cost of actually knowing this, to what end I am not entirely sure.

Question put:

That Ms Lawder’s amendment to Ms Berry’s proposed amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 7

Noes 8

Mr Coe

Ms Lawder

Mr Barr

Ms Fitzharris

Mr Doszpot

Mr Smyth

Ms Berry

Mr Gentleman

Mrs Dunne

Mr Wall

Dr Bourke

Ms Porter

Mr Hanson

Ms Burch

Mr Rattenbury

Question so resolved in the negative.

MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Dr Bourke): The question now is that Ms Berry’s amendment be agreed to.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: The question now is that the motion, as amended, be agreed to.

MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (5.18): I want to reiterate that the number of Mr Fluffy homes in the public housing sphere was already on the public record. This motion was not about Mr Fluffy homes alone. It is intended to be seeking openness and transparency about the number of public housing properties that contain asbestos.

Ms Berry’s amendment says that since 2005 Housing ACT has provided detailed information in writing to its tenants about asbestos that may be present in their homes. However, Mr Barr says that they have no clue whatsoever about the properties that might have asbestos and that it would take a big audit or some such exercise to find out which properties had asbestos.

I said in my introductory speech that houses built before the 1990s are highly likely or likely to contain asbestos. It is understood. I think most Canberra home owners know that. Bonded asbestos may be present in homes that are built before a certain time. It is something that I feel could be on the public record. It leads me to two questions. First: does the government not know how many homes may have some form of asbestos in them? The second question is: if they do know, why will they not tell us?

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