Page 1040 - Week 03 - Thursday, 21 March 2019
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Appendix A
Citizen’s right of reply:
Response by Mr Joel Dignam
Recently in the ACT Assembly Mark Parton MLA to make various claims about me. I would like to set the record straight on a few matters that Mr. Parton raised.
Mr. Parton criticised the “House of ‘Lords” report that I had worked on for Better Renting. For the record, the report used the best data available. When I worked on the “House of ‘Lords” report for Better Renting I reviewed public declarations of interest from MLAs. In addition, I contacted MLAs on multiple occasions to ask them to clarify or confirm their own status. Where the public record was ambiguous, I made an effort to follow-up with individual MLAs. Some MLAs frustrated this research by not responding to the survey. I note that this issue could be avoided with greater transparency requirements through the disclosures process.
Further, Mr. Parton stated “… [Joel Dignam] is not actually advocating for renters, ladies and gentlemen; he is pushing Greens policy.”
For the record, Better Renting is non-partisan and focused on policy objectives. I founded Better Renting as a not-for-profit and registered it with the Australian Charities and Non-Profits Commission. The objects of Better Renting are:
• improving housing outcomes for renters with respect to stability, affordability, and liveability, to advance social welfare (‘the principal object’);
• building a community of renters to work towards achieving the principal object; and
• promoting or opposing a change to any matter established by law, policy or practice in the Commonwealth, a state, a territory or another country which furthers the principal object.
All my work with Better Renting is done in pursuit of these aims. The work is not done in support of any one political party, but in support of policy proposals that further these aims. This relies on the best available evidence in assessing the merits of policy proposals. I am happy to be judged on my record of work with Better Renting, which shows an abiding commitment towards obtaining stable, affordable, and liveable homes for people who rent.
Mr. Parton MLA also stated “Joel was probably gathering data for the Greens”, and later implied that data collected by Better Renting is being funnelled to the Greens. For the record, Better Renting is responsible about protecting supporter privacy, and Mr. Parton’s claims have no basis in fact. Better Renting has a publicly available privacy policy and abides by the Australian Privacy Principles. Any data is collected consistent with our privacy policy, to enable people who rent to take part in Better Renting campaigns. I have shared no Better Renting data or personal information with any political party.
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