Mr MITCHELL - 2000-10-17
I don’t think there is any doubt that over the last couple of years the waiting time for public housing for seniors has dropped dramatically. But can the minister tell us what the main factors are leading up to this?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question because he is quite right. The waiting time for seniors has dropped considerably over the last couple of years. Two years ago when we introduced the Housing 2000 initiative the waiting time in Darwin was six years. I am pleased to say that it is now less than half that; it equates to a 53% reduction since June 1998. Why? Because we have rationalised our housing stock which has enabled us to provide better housing for our population.
Today I am pleased to say at 1 pm I am going to be opening the Coconut Grove Senior’s Village.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mrs BRAHAM: I know that many of you have been watching the progress of that development as it has been built over the last few months, and I am quite sure you will join with me today in going out there at lunch time to have a look. There are 34 units specially designed for seniors, 2-bedroom, ground level with their own small backyard. This really marks an important change in focus for this government. Until now, Territory Housing has been primarily focused on young families, couples and singles. We found that many of our older people were still living in 3- and 4-bedroom houses after their families have grown up. They, of course, have found the house now too big for just them, the garden is too big, so they have been offered an opportunity to transfer to a 2-bedroom unit …
Ms Martin: Many are being forced out, Loraine.
Mrs BRAHAM: … and I’m very …
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Ms Martin: You are so ungracious.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs BRAHAM: Mr Speaker, I must respond to that because that is a disgusting remark to be made by the Leader of the Opposition.
Ms Martin: It is absolutely true!
Mrs BRAHAM: She only has to go out and talk to some of those people …
Ms Martin: I talk to them all the time. They are in my office, they get nothing from yours.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition, order!
Mrs BRAHAM: … then she will know that they are delighted to be transferring from their large homes to these small units.
Ms Martin: Not everyone, Loraine.
Mrs BRAHAM: You are completely out of touch …
Ms Martin: Be truthful - not everyone. You are pushing them out.
Mrs BRAHAM: … completely out of touch.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs BRAHAM: And might I also ... That just shows how out of touch she is. Twenty two of these people have volunteered to downgrade happily.
Ms Martin: What about the others you are forcing out?
Mrs BRAHAM: No one has been forced. And I would even tell the member …
Ms Martin: Well, why do they ring my office and tell me they are being forced?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs BRAHAM: … that two from Kurringal, the ones that you are trying to say, ‘Stay there’, they have happily gone, because these units are a great advantage to them …
Ms Martin: I am not talking about Kurringal. I am talking about other people in their 3-bedroom homes that you are forcing out.
Mrs BRAHAM: … and I am going to remember what you said, and I am going to be telling people out there that you are trying to put people off from transferring to these units where they will be in a far better environment.
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The member for Araluen cannot accuse the Leader of the Opposition of lying again …
Mr DUNHAM: Speaking to the point of order, Mr Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition has been using the word ‘lying’ almost constantly during the minister’s comments, and I think she should desist.
Mr SPEAKER: I would have to say that I didn’t hear the later comment, but I heard the earlier one, so I will not rule a point of order. But I would ask members to be a little more careful in their language, particularly in Question Time, when this is going out to the public. There is far too much interjection and persistent interjection at the present time, and it is mainly on the opposition benches, but on both sides of the House. I would ask you to be reasonably silent.
Mrs BRAHAM: I would like to get back to the question, and I would like to elaborate a little bit more on these units we are opening today.
They have features that have been incorporated especially for seniors. They are only little things but they are really important to people as they grow older. The light switches are not the little light switches you and I probably have in our houses, they are big ones so they are easy to use. The taps are levers rather than having to twist them. There are no steps; the showers have no hobs and, of course, there are security bars across the louvres. So we are designing them especially for seniors, and as well as that, we have made the doors wide enough so if anyone needs disability access, they can have it done in the future.
These units would be the most advanced units that I have seen for senior citizens built in this Territory. They really are an indication of this government’s commitment to senior citizens, and this government understanding the needs as the Territory population grows older.
Mr Speaker, you are well aware that we are growing older, but more and more Territorians are opting to stay in the Territory when they do retire. At the moment we have 14% of our Territorians over the age of 50, and this is expected to double in the next 10 years. So we have a need as a government to cater for these people, who have given great service to the Territory, who have committed their lifestyles to us, brought up their families, who have raised children, who have developed a home and basically have been very, very good, responsible, reliable tenants in the Territory. That is what we are doing, making sure that we can provide for them the best option possible.
Although waiting times have already reduced significantly, they are going to reduce even further very shortly. Wanguri is expected to be completed by the end of this year, and as well as that, the Leanyer development, which I am sure the member for Wanguri will support, is expected to go to tender early next year. These different complexes that are especially designed for senior citizens of this Territory, are very important steps that this government has made. We have done it in consultation with organisations such as the Council on the Ageing, and other senior organisations They are all involved in the process and they really understand what we are trying to achieve. The residents who are going into this complex are going into an environment especially designed to look after them. They are close to shops, public transport, they have medical facilities there, but as well as that they will have a community of people very much their own age so they can feel very safe, very comfortable.
Do take the opportunity to come out at lunch time. We will be putting on a light lunch for the residents and those involved to acknowledge the work that they have done. I just say this is the Territory government introducing good policies. It is this government recognising the needs of our seniors and providing seniors with the best alternative accommodation we can and that is what good government is all about.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question because he is quite right. The waiting time for seniors has dropped considerably over the last couple of years. Two years ago when we introduced the Housing 2000 initiative the waiting time in Darwin was six years. I am pleased to say that it is now less than half that; it equates to a 53% reduction since June 1998. Why? Because we have rationalised our housing stock which has enabled us to provide better housing for our population.
Today I am pleased to say at 1 pm I am going to be opening the Coconut Grove Senior’s Village.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mrs BRAHAM: I know that many of you have been watching the progress of that development as it has been built over the last few months, and I am quite sure you will join with me today in going out there at lunch time to have a look. There are 34 units specially designed for seniors, 2-bedroom, ground level with their own small backyard. This really marks an important change in focus for this government. Until now, Territory Housing has been primarily focused on young families, couples and singles. We found that many of our older people were still living in 3- and 4-bedroom houses after their families have grown up. They, of course, have found the house now too big for just them, the garden is too big, so they have been offered an opportunity to transfer to a 2-bedroom unit …
Ms Martin: Many are being forced out, Loraine.
Mrs BRAHAM: … and I’m very …
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Ms Martin: You are so ungracious.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs BRAHAM: Mr Speaker, I must respond to that because that is a disgusting remark to be made by the Leader of the Opposition.
Ms Martin: It is absolutely true!
Mrs BRAHAM: She only has to go out and talk to some of those people …
Ms Martin: I talk to them all the time. They are in my office, they get nothing from yours.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition, order!
Mrs BRAHAM: … then she will know that they are delighted to be transferring from their large homes to these small units.
Ms Martin: Not everyone, Loraine.
Mrs BRAHAM: You are completely out of touch …
Ms Martin: Be truthful - not everyone. You are pushing them out.
Mrs BRAHAM: … completely out of touch.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs BRAHAM: And might I also ... That just shows how out of touch she is. Twenty two of these people have volunteered to downgrade happily.
Ms Martin: What about the others you are forcing out?
Mrs BRAHAM: No one has been forced. And I would even tell the member …
Ms Martin: Well, why do they ring my office and tell me they are being forced?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs BRAHAM: … that two from Kurringal, the ones that you are trying to say, ‘Stay there’, they have happily gone, because these units are a great advantage to them …
Ms Martin: I am not talking about Kurringal. I am talking about other people in their 3-bedroom homes that you are forcing out.
Mrs BRAHAM: … and I am going to remember what you said, and I am going to be telling people out there that you are trying to put people off from transferring to these units where they will be in a far better environment.
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The member for Araluen cannot accuse the Leader of the Opposition of lying again …
Mr DUNHAM: Speaking to the point of order, Mr Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition has been using the word ‘lying’ almost constantly during the minister’s comments, and I think she should desist.
Mr SPEAKER: I would have to say that I didn’t hear the later comment, but I heard the earlier one, so I will not rule a point of order. But I would ask members to be a little more careful in their language, particularly in Question Time, when this is going out to the public. There is far too much interjection and persistent interjection at the present time, and it is mainly on the opposition benches, but on both sides of the House. I would ask you to be reasonably silent.
Mrs BRAHAM: I would like to get back to the question, and I would like to elaborate a little bit more on these units we are opening today.
They have features that have been incorporated especially for seniors. They are only little things but they are really important to people as they grow older. The light switches are not the little light switches you and I probably have in our houses, they are big ones so they are easy to use. The taps are levers rather than having to twist them. There are no steps; the showers have no hobs and, of course, there are security bars across the louvres. So we are designing them especially for seniors, and as well as that, we have made the doors wide enough so if anyone needs disability access, they can have it done in the future.
These units would be the most advanced units that I have seen for senior citizens built in this Territory. They really are an indication of this government’s commitment to senior citizens, and this government understanding the needs as the Territory population grows older.
Mr Speaker, you are well aware that we are growing older, but more and more Territorians are opting to stay in the Territory when they do retire. At the moment we have 14% of our Territorians over the age of 50, and this is expected to double in the next 10 years. So we have a need as a government to cater for these people, who have given great service to the Territory, who have committed their lifestyles to us, brought up their families, who have raised children, who have developed a home and basically have been very, very good, responsible, reliable tenants in the Territory. That is what we are doing, making sure that we can provide for them the best option possible.
Although waiting times have already reduced significantly, they are going to reduce even further very shortly. Wanguri is expected to be completed by the end of this year, and as well as that, the Leanyer development, which I am sure the member for Wanguri will support, is expected to go to tender early next year. These different complexes that are especially designed for senior citizens of this Territory, are very important steps that this government has made. We have done it in consultation with organisations such as the Council on the Ageing, and other senior organisations They are all involved in the process and they really understand what we are trying to achieve. The residents who are going into this complex are going into an environment especially designed to look after them. They are close to shops, public transport, they have medical facilities there, but as well as that they will have a community of people very much their own age so they can feel very safe, very comfortable.
Do take the opportunity to come out at lunch time. We will be putting on a light lunch for the residents and those involved to acknowledge the work that they have done. I just say this is the Territory government introducing good policies. It is this government recognising the needs of our seniors and providing seniors with the best alternative accommodation we can and that is what good government is all about.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016