Mr HIGGINS - 2012-11-28
Can you inform the House what plans the previous Labor government had in place to maintain and renew the public housing stock?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. The answer is simple. The previous Labor government had nothing in place - no plans at all – niente, nada, nought, tidak. Everything seemed to be a shoot from the hip and take as many photo opportunities as you possibly could with any Australian government funded projects.
When I came into my role as Minister for Housing I was astounded to discover a complete lack of strategy associated with planning, maintenance, disposal and renewal of public housing.
This is mindboggling when you consider the estimated combined value of 5000+ urban public housing assets and 1300 government employee housing assets to be around $1.8bn. That figure does not include a further 4900 remote public housing assets.
What responsible government would not have in place a plan to maintain, to dispose of, and renew a public housing portfolio worth in excess of $1.8bn? It would also be a government which left the Territory with a debt that required the Mills government to take swift and necessary action to avoid Territorians paying an additional $1m a day in interest rates in about two years from now. This is an additional $1m a day that would not be spent on housing, education, health, policing or any other services which support Territorians.
As a former chair of a local primary school, I would rather be delivering a cheque for $1m to school. The next day let us go across to Gray Primary School, the next day Rosebery Primary School, the next day perhaps to some of the NGOs that require assistance and hand them a cheque for $1m. Imagine being able to do that every single day, not a week or even a month - every single day for 12 months, 365 days a year. That is $1m we do not have and cannot give to these organisations or schools because of your mismanagement.
Last week I heard you mention something like childcare facilities ...
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker. Three ministers from this government have now denigrated public servants who cannot come into this House to defend themselves.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Minister, you have the call.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, you are on a warning.
Mr CHANDLER: Unfortunately, because the previously Labor government did not provide a responsible strategy and policy, the maintenance efforts in the past are largely focused on bandaid fixers when things broke and did not include proactive program maintenance and targeted approaches. Strategic asset management for dummies tells you that it is essential.
Madam SPEAKER: You time has expired, minister, please be seated.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. The answer is simple. The previous Labor government had nothing in place - no plans at all – niente, nada, nought, tidak. Everything seemed to be a shoot from the hip and take as many photo opportunities as you possibly could with any Australian government funded projects.
When I came into my role as Minister for Housing I was astounded to discover a complete lack of strategy associated with planning, maintenance, disposal and renewal of public housing.
This is mindboggling when you consider the estimated combined value of 5000+ urban public housing assets and 1300 government employee housing assets to be around $1.8bn. That figure does not include a further 4900 remote public housing assets.
What responsible government would not have in place a plan to maintain, to dispose of, and renew a public housing portfolio worth in excess of $1.8bn? It would also be a government which left the Territory with a debt that required the Mills government to take swift and necessary action to avoid Territorians paying an additional $1m a day in interest rates in about two years from now. This is an additional $1m a day that would not be spent on housing, education, health, policing or any other services which support Territorians.
As a former chair of a local primary school, I would rather be delivering a cheque for $1m to school. The next day let us go across to Gray Primary School, the next day Rosebery Primary School, the next day perhaps to some of the NGOs that require assistance and hand them a cheque for $1m. Imagine being able to do that every single day, not a week or even a month - every single day for 12 months, 365 days a year. That is $1m we do not have and cannot give to these organisations or schools because of your mismanagement.
Last week I heard you mention something like childcare facilities ...
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker. Three ministers from this government have now denigrated public servants who cannot come into this House to defend themselves.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Minister, you have the call.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, you are on a warning.
Mr CHANDLER: Unfortunately, because the previously Labor government did not provide a responsible strategy and policy, the maintenance efforts in the past are largely focused on bandaid fixers when things broke and did not include proactive program maintenance and targeted approaches. Strategic asset management for dummies tells you that it is essential.
Madam SPEAKER: You time has expired, minister, please be seated.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016