Mr MITCHELL - 2001-05-29
The minister may recall that last year that Labor’s housing spokesperson stated that we were going to spend less than $5m on Territory housing and construction. Can the minister tell us what amount of money was actually spent in the 2000-01 budget?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, last year the Labor housing spokesmen claimed that the actual cash this government was putting into the 2000-01 program was less than $5m in a program worth more than $31.4m . That is the Labor spokesman I have never heard from during the last six months that I have been a minister ...
Member interjecting.
Dr LIM: Here we go. The member for Stuart and the member for Wanguri walk in here saying they will be bringing in ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Stirling interjecting.
MrSPEAKER: Order! I remind the member for Nhulunbuy that he is on a warning.
Dr LIM: I repeat for the benefit of members opposite that the estimated expenditure on construction throughout the Territory for 2000-01 totalled some $67m. This was made up of $24.1m on construction and upgrading of urban housing and government employee housing in rural and remote areas; $17.2m on repairs and maintenance for public housing; $24.3m on indigenous housing through the IHANT program; and $1m on construction of new housing as a result of loans under the government’s first home buyer assistance schemes.
While it is true that expenditure on housing projects sometimes continues over more than one financial year, the reality is that this government’s housing programs are extremely significant in terms of the Territory’s construction sector.
There is significant and ongoing expenditure on a combination of general public housing, government employee housing, Aboriginal housing and home purchase assistance. I can tell the members opposite that this contribution is very well known and appreciated by the Territory construction industry. That strong commitment to help Territorians into appropriate housing and supporting the Territory’s construction sector will continue into the next financial year.
Without pre-empting the Treasurer’s Appropriation Bill I want to assure Territorians that the Northern Territory government will continue the construction and upgrading of urban public housing and government employee housing in rural and remote areas; will continue upgrading and maintaining Aboriginal housing through the Indigenous Housing Authority of the Northern Territory; and will continue to do repairs and maintenance on urban public housing and government employee housing in rural and remote areas.
Territory housing programs play a key role in supporting construction activity in the Territory. This expenditure flows across the whole of the Territory from urban centres to rural and remote communities. This is another example of Labor not knowing what this government delivers to Territorians.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, last year the Labor housing spokesmen claimed that the actual cash this government was putting into the 2000-01 program was less than $5m in a program worth more than $31.4m . That is the Labor spokesman I have never heard from during the last six months that I have been a minister ...
Member interjecting.
Dr LIM: Here we go. The member for Stuart and the member for Wanguri walk in here saying they will be bringing in ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Stirling interjecting.
MrSPEAKER: Order! I remind the member for Nhulunbuy that he is on a warning.
Dr LIM: I repeat for the benefit of members opposite that the estimated expenditure on construction throughout the Territory for 2000-01 totalled some $67m. This was made up of $24.1m on construction and upgrading of urban housing and government employee housing in rural and remote areas; $17.2m on repairs and maintenance for public housing; $24.3m on indigenous housing through the IHANT program; and $1m on construction of new housing as a result of loans under the government’s first home buyer assistance schemes.
While it is true that expenditure on housing projects sometimes continues over more than one financial year, the reality is that this government’s housing programs are extremely significant in terms of the Territory’s construction sector.
There is significant and ongoing expenditure on a combination of general public housing, government employee housing, Aboriginal housing and home purchase assistance. I can tell the members opposite that this contribution is very well known and appreciated by the Territory construction industry. That strong commitment to help Territorians into appropriate housing and supporting the Territory’s construction sector will continue into the next financial year.
Without pre-empting the Treasurer’s Appropriation Bill I want to assure Territorians that the Northern Territory government will continue the construction and upgrading of urban public housing and government employee housing in rural and remote areas; will continue upgrading and maintaining Aboriginal housing through the Indigenous Housing Authority of the Northern Territory; and will continue to do repairs and maintenance on urban public housing and government employee housing in rural and remote areas.
Territory housing programs play a key role in supporting construction activity in the Territory. This expenditure flows across the whole of the Territory from urban centres to rural and remote communities. This is another example of Labor not knowing what this government delivers to Territorians.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016