Page 1538 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 10 May 2017
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While these were just as controversial at the time in the community, the final result of these developments has proved the success of the supportive housing model on community facility zoned land. I doorknocked these housing communities during the election last year and asked the residents how they found living there. Overwhelmingly it was positive and the people were welcoming and friendly. I doorknocked the Chapman houses. I did not even know it was public housing initially because the quality of the housing was so high and it fitted in so well with the neighbouring community.
While I support more public housing on the south side, I also support genuine consultation taking place with the community. In the past, constructive consultation on public housing has led to some great outcomes in Kambah, Chapman and Greenway. For example, in Kambah, on the former Mount Neighbour school site, a community room and garden were developed to support the group activities of the residents. This is the sort of great outcome that can be achieved.
In this case the ACT government has assessed the suitability of the sites for supportive housing and has gone out to consult with the community on the form of the developments before any development application has been lodged. This feedback will be used to help shape the final form of any future developments.
My Labor colleague Bec Cody MLA, Minister Berry and I have all been meeting with community groups in Weston Creek, as has the task force. We are getting positive suggestions and feedback on the form of the development to best integrate with the existing suburbs while also enhancing community spaces. I hope that a respectful dialogue with the community through the consultation both improves the form of the developments and also builds a better understanding in the community about the needs and aspirations of public housing tenants.
I am very pleased to say that the large majority of all correspondence that I have received, as well as interactions at mobile offices and the like, has been fully supportive of public housing and the tenants. Many provide suggestions on how to best integrate the developments with our existing suburbs, but all acknowledge the need for greater public housing in our city and affirm their support.
However, the Liberals are seeking to paint all of these people as opponents to providing public housing in our city. This is simply not the case. By attempting to move the debate from a constructive one about the form of the development to one about the merits of public housing full stop, the Liberals are doing a disservice to the communities of Tuggeranong, Weston Creek, Woden and the Molonglo Valley.
It is a shame that the Canberra Liberals are attempting to co-opt the reasonable feedback made by residents on the form of the developments into their own anti-public housing campaign. Let us not forget where their values sit. The last time they were in government they cut 1,000 dwellings from our public housing stock. Unfortunately, today with this motion they seem to be stepping away from a long-held
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