Page 1269 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 29 March 2017
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inner north. Other tenants, however, have moved and chosen to move to suburbs in Belconnen, Woden, Tuggeranong and Gungahlin, and we believe that public housing tenants, just like every other resident of Canberra, should have the choice to stay in the inner suburbs or move to another part of Canberra.
Mrs Jones interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mrs Jones, you had your chance.
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: We are supporting our public housing tenants, we are supporting the renewal of our town and we are ensuring that the heart of Canberra stays strong. I commend the amendment moved by Minister Berry to the Assembly.
MR PARTON (Brindabella) (4.58): I just want to note that there are 18 sections in the amendment, and not a single one of them refers to the planning aspect in terms of supportive housing. Not one of them actually mentions supportive housing. Supportive housing means the use of land for residential accommodation for persons in need of support, managed by a territory-approved organisation that provides a range of support services such as counselling, domestic assistance and personal care for residents as required.
I sought a clarification on the current Northbourne Avenue public housing and the fact that it does not, as far as public housing advocates are aware, qualify as supportive housing. We would love to know which organisation is going to provide this range of support services and what they are for, these mooted developments in Mawson, Holder, Wright and Chapman. It appears as though we are going to ignore that aspect of territory planning because it does not fit in with this whole scenario of moving these people from Northbourne Avenue. It is “show me the money”.
That is what I wanted to say in regard to the amendment. There is no mention whatsoever of the fact that this is supposed to be supportive housing to fit in with the planning guidelines.
MS BERRY (Ginninderra—Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development, Minister for Housing and Suburban Development, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Women and Minister for Sport and Recreation) (4.59): Madam Speaker, I have already spoken on the amendment, but I seek leave to briefly speak again.
Leave granted.
MS BERRY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just wanted to clarify, for the information of members, about the renewal program and the relocation of tenants in this city. There are a number of phases which Ms Stephen-Smith has touched on about how we are supporting residents in their current homes as they transition and move into their new homes. There are a number of phases over a period of time, but we make sure that we engage residents about the relocation program.
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