Page 1071 - Week 04 - Thursday, 21 May 2020
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Like other areas in the ACT government and other workplaces, Housing ACT are adapting to a new environment which means that a lot of their work is now happening online and via phone. But it is proving to be significantly beneficial for both housing tenants and Housing ACT to understand better the needs of housing tenants in Housing ACT properties.
MR PARTON: Minister, has there been any progress or consideration as per the recommendations from the COVID committee to establish some sort of officially sanctioned framework to guide repayments of rent arrears as framed by Ms Le Couteur?
MS BERRY: The government will consider the recommendations of the committee. One of the issues in getting the money—the $250—into the pockets of housing tenants is that some of them are paid through Services Australia. It has been about how we work collaboratively with that department as well to make sure that we can get that money into tenants’ pockets. The government will consider the recommendations of the committee, and the commitment from Housing ACT is that they do not evict people who are in Housing ACT properties into homelessness, and I think that that is the point that needs to be made. Tenants who have in the past had debts to Housing ACT are not evicted into homelessness. They might end up in other crisis accommodation. At the moment, with the moratorium, that still continues during COVID-19.
Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders—mental health
MRS JONES: My question is to the Minister for Corrections and Justice Health. I refer to my correspondence beginning 8 May 2020, when I wrote to you after learning about repeated self-harm attempts by an Aboriginal inmate, and requested that he be transferred to Dhulwa secure mental health unit. On 9 May I requested that he receive an independent psychiatric assessment, fearing that he would self-harm again. You refused this request.
On 13 May the inmate attempted suicide again, and was rushed to the intensive care unit of the Canberra Hospital. Two days later he was returned to the AMC. Minister, why did you refuse my request at the time for an independent psychiatric assessment, despite my now-confirmed fears that the inmate would self-harm again?
MR RATTENBURY: This is a very complex matter relating to this detainee. That is why, in seeking to answer Mrs Jones’s question I will be as complete as I can, mindful of the detainee’s right to some degree of privacy in these matters. In terms of Mrs Jones’s specific question, I do not know that my email specifically refused to seek an independent assessment. Mrs Jones has made that email available to the media. At least the media have their hands on it, so it is a document that people have seen. It says that ACT Corrective Services had sought input from New South Wales, as well.
Mrs Jones: But not from a psychiatrist.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mrs Jones, allow the minister to answer, please.
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