Page 2106 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 5 June 2019
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because of extreme violence, criminal behaviour as well as severe antisocial behaviour. We do not wish to name the particular site in the chamber but I understand that you are aware of the site in question. Minister, have more than a dozen residents of that particular complex been offered assistance to relocate to other Housing ACT properties?
MS BERRY: Yes, I am aware of the issues that have been raised by the Leader of the Opposition and the Canberra Liberals today. I do not have the exact figure but I am aware that some tenants have been supported by Housing ACT to move to different accommodation.
MR COE: Whilst I note that you do not have the exact number, do you know roughly how many tenants we are talking about? Are we talking about a couple or are we talking about dozens? And when will these transfers be complete?
MS BERRY: The last time I discussed this with Housing ACT I was not aware that it was dozens. It was initially a very small number that were being moved to new housing accommodation. This has been something on which Housing ACT has been working with the tenants very closely, as well as with ACT Policing, the Justice and Community Safety Directorate and Minister Shane Rattenbury, so that we can make sure that people are safe and happy in their accommodation. I have not been briefed more recently on the numbers that the opposition is referring to. If that information has changed, I can bring that back to the Assembly and make that known to members.
MR PARTON: Minister, for how long have the tenants in question been seeking transfers?
MS BERRY: Given that I am unclear on the numbers as well, I will have to check that information and see what information I can provide to the Assembly.
Government—land sales
MS LE COUTEUR: My question is to the Minister for Urban Renewal and relates to the failed sales process for Northbourne flats. Minister, given that the community often complains about the quality of infill, why was the ACT government not able to sell the land to what was reported to be the best development tender on offer?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Ms Le Couteur for her question. This was a two-stage process, which considered the design outcomes. There was quite a clear and specific directive around design and the financial contribution. In this process the CEO of the Suburban Land Agency has been fairly clear. There was a lengthy negotiation with the preferred tenderer out of the three organisations that put in a tender, around the fact that they had a quality design and whether they could meet the market value to enable SLA to sell them that land. That was not able to be achieved. Under the SLA’s legal requirements, they are not able to sell that land below the market value. This was not able to be achieved. That is why the sale could not go ahead.
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