Page 1463 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 9 May 2017
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washes that Orange Sky’s homeless friends use. Once a shift is finished, it emails donors to let them know that they have just paid for a wash for a friend. This is the kind of innovation that we want to see across our community sector, but it requires support for organisations to understand, and volunteers to be able to use, digital technologies better.
I recognise the importance of ensuring that our diverse and sometimes disadvantaged communities can be empowered through their online voice and assisted to speak up and speak out on the issues which affect them, and that the volunteers who support them can be supported to understand better how to use online technology. (Time expired.)
MS LAWDER: Minister, how much of the money collected under the community sector reform levy has been spent? What data do you have as to return on the investment or the effectiveness of the expenditure of that money?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Ms Lawder for her supplementary question. Of course, we know that the community co-contribution levy, which was equal to 0.34 per cent of total funding from 2012, has supported a range of community sector reforms. Some of the red tape reductions that I referred to in my earlier answer are among those activities.
I have recently submitted responses to a number of questions on notice through the annual report hearings process that go specifically to the return on those things. As I have said, the levy has been largely returned to the sector through the sector development program.
Our current estimate is that there is about $740,000 in funding available in 2016-17. It will be used to support priorities identified under the community sector industry strategy, which is being developed by the joint community-government sector industry reference group. That community-industry strategy was released last year.
There is currently work going on to develop priorities for how the sector levy should be spent under that funding. But the priority will be on workforce development. That is the priority that has been identified by the community sector through that strategy. Of course, the levy will end on the 30 June 2017.
Public housing—Holder
MRS JONES: My question is to the Minister for Housing and Suburban Development. Minister, I refer to documents obtained under FOI that show that the redevelopment of the site that was occupied by the Post and Antenatal Depression Support and Information group was being considered strongly from 6 November 2014. The document states, “Building on part of the preferred site is currently occupied by PANDSI. Property group are able to find an alternative location. However, consultation has not yet occurred.” Minister, I wrote to the government on 17 March 2016, after surveyors had been to the site, and received letters from the government on 13 May 2016 and again on 6 September 2016 stating that “the
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