Page 3618 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 27 October 2015
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MADAM SPEAKER: A point of order. Stop the clock, please.
Mr Hanson: The question asked by Ms Lawder, as I understand it, was whether they were going to be demolished or whether they were going to be occupied as are. I do not think that has been answered.
MADAM SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order. I was listening; I am not quite sure that I heard the answer to that question. Maybe Ms Berry does not know, and she can take it on notice.
MS BERRY: I am sorry; perhaps I misunderstood the question. I thought Ms Lawder asked whether they were going to be provided for public housing tenants.
MADAM SPEAKER: Yes, or whether the site was going to be redeveloped.
MS BERRY: I said that they would be provided for public housing tenants.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
MR DOSZPOT: Minister, why are you spending money on ageing properties in the inner north whilst desperately trying to sell other ageing properties in the same area?
MS BERRY: I thank Mr Doszpot for that question. As we go through this renewal program, renewing some of our oldest public housing stock, we are making sure that the housing stock that we purchase is suitable for public housing tenants into the future. These homes are very different from the dwellings, for example the BAC flats, which will be demolished, which have multiple storeys and are unsuitable for the needs of our tenants now and into the future.
The purchase of these properties was considered to be good value for money. The homes are in a good location. There are multiple nearby bus routes, and the O’Connor shops are within walking distance. These properties are currently being refurbished and will be available for tenants to move into in the near future. The success of this purchase has supported the ACT government in determining that the expressions of interest process would be an effective way of identifying suitable properties for our Housing ACT tenants to move into and that these properties meet those requirements.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
MR DOSZPOT: Minister, how does the acquisition of this more than 50-year-old property in O’Connor fit in with the strategic plan for social housing?
MS BERRY: I refer the member to my very first answer to the question, which was that ensuring that public housing is distributed across the ACT, ensuring that housing is made available for public housing tenants across each and every suburb across our city, is to make sure that they meet our tenants’ needs and that they are good value for money for Housing ACT as well. These particular housing dwellings in O’Connor meet the needs of our tenants.
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