Page 404 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 18 February 2020
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
halfway through the year where decisions needed to be made about how we were going to meet our budget target.
The decision that the government has made is that this is not the time to be looking at whether we need to scrimp and save in our health system. We are facing a growing population, a growing demand for health services and an increasing complexity of our patient cohort. We have a commitment to meet that elective surgery target and we will continue to deliver on that commitment.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, outside the proposed midyear cash injection that is envisaged in the appropriation, what was the estimated financial outcome for the directorate and Canberra Health Services for this financial year?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Mrs Dunne for the supplementary question. I do not have the budget papers in front of me but all of those outcomes were printed in the budget papers earlier, at the end of last financial year, and in the annual reports and statements tabled late last financial year. I can take the question from Mrs Dunne on notice if she really wants me to but that information is already available in the public statements.
Housing—Tenants Union
MS LE COUTEUR: My question is to the Attorney-General and relates to the defunding of the Tenants Union. Attorney, why did the government not provide the Tenants Union with feedback about any performance issues before the government chose to put the tenants advice service out to tender?
MR RAMSAY: I thank Ms Le Couteur for the question, an important question in relation to an important service for the people of Canberra. I do not accept that there was no feedback provided to the Tenants Union. Certainly, the directorate was in regular contact, as it is across all of the community legal centres, including with the Tenants Union. In particular, in relation to the Tenants Union tenants advisory service, there was advice on 28 August that a tender process would be taking place. That was on the basis of ensuring the highest quality service being provided to those people who are renting in the ACT.
The last procurement service that was provided in relation to the TAS was in 2015, and that package was released to tenders in November last year. That tender was released to select tenders on 6 November. That tender process finished on 3 December. The responses to the tender were evaluated in December and the participating entities were advised on 18 December. The unsuccessful tenderers have been invited to debrief about the process and in relation to the service provision that they offered as part of the tender.
MS LE COUTEUR: Will the government be providing new funding for events such as International Tenants Day; the tenants art competition; outreach such as stalls at shopping centres and universities; and policy development and advocacy for tenants’ rights and tenancy law reform? How will that funding be allocated?
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video