Ms ANDERSON - 2007-04-18
Can you update the House on the government’s work at Stuart Lodge?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. I had the opportunity this afternoon to visit Stuart Lodge. It is a $2m investment in supported accommodation in Alice Springs. It consists of 35 beds, but has capacity to accommodate approximately 55 people ...
Mrs Braham: For short-term accommodation.
Mr McADAM: Well, if you would like to listen, I am prepared to take a question from you.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Braitling!
Mr McADAM: Yes, it is for supported accommodation purposes. Clearly, there will be capacity for people who want to come in on a short-term basis or, indeed, for people who might want to stay for two to three months. The important point is this: it will also alleviate some of the overcrowding that occurs in town camps throughout Alice Springs.
We have heard a lot recently in respect of the town camp situation in Alice Springs. This is an attempt by this government to work very closely with all sectors of the community in Alice Springs and have a look at real options in supported accommodation. It is for people coming into town for renal treatment, mums and their children coming into town for specialist services, and people coming into town for shopping and to spend dollars in town. These are the opportunities that will exist in respect of this program.
The other point I make is that there is $1.3m that we have allocated to Aboriginal Hostels Ltd, Yeperenye Hostel, which will provide an extra six units, 24 beds, for exactly the same purpose. It is a very responsible way of the Northern Territory government engaging with people in the community to provide well-managed accommodation options for those people who need it ...
Mrs Braham interjecting.
Mr McADAM: Who is going to manage it? Territory Housing is going to manage it for a 12-month period ...
Mrs Braham interjecting.
Mr McADAM: Well, you obviously do not have any faith in …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, cease interjecting!
Mr McADAM: You obviously do not have any faith in Territory Housing, and I will refer to them in a moment. Territory Housing will manage it for a 12-month period. There will be discussions with other providers in respect of the ongoing management of that.
I want to emphasise this point: Anglicare have come on board in respect of providing advice on business management. They have expertise with other hostels throughout the Northern Territory and, indeed, Australia. We have let contracts to local businesses in respect of catering. In fact, Kungkas Can Cook, a very well-known catering company in Alice Springs, is going to locate its business into this premise and they will provide meals there as well - very affordable costs right across the community.
Coming back to Territory Housing and their role in this particular exercise - and I believe it is a very important one to understand and appreciate - they have done an excellent job over the last few months in getting this project up. I particularly pay tribute to Mike Burgess, who is the CEO of Territory Housing and Local Government, Fiona Chamberlain, who has done an excellent job, and Julie Rannard in particular, who has worked very hard with all stakeholders in Alice Springs on this particular project. It would be remiss of me not to pay tribute to the Alice Springs Action Group, of which most people here would know. They have done a great job in getting this project up over two to three years. In particular, people like Mr Jonathan Pilbrow, Mr Eric Sultan and a whole host of other people who played a key role in getting this project going.
In conclusion, I pay tribute to a previous Minister for Central Australia, Peter Toyne, who was a great supporter of this particular project and worked very hard to get it up on behalf of people in Central Australia ...
Mrs Braham interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Braitling!
Mr McADAM: Peter Toyne …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, could you please pause for a moment. Member for Braitling, I remind you of Standing Order 51: ‘No member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance which in the opinion of the Speaker is designed to interrupt or has the effect of interrupting a member speaking’.
Mr McADAM: I will forgive her, Madam Speaker. You are forgiven, member for Braitling. She is a great member here in Alice Springs, a great independent member …
Mrs Braham interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, please pause. Member for Braitling, are you reflecting on the Speaker?
Mrs BRAHAM: No, I was reflecting on my behaviour.
Madam SPEAKER: Please resume your seat, member for Braitling. Minister, please continue.
Mr McADAM: In conclusion, I again pay tribute to Peter Toyne and to the previous Minister for Housing and Local Government, John Ah Kit, who also played a very important role in this.
Alice Springs, you should all be proud of this new project because it is a real community project, and that is the only way forward in respect to Alice Springs and a whole range of other initiatives and projects.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. I had the opportunity this afternoon to visit Stuart Lodge. It is a $2m investment in supported accommodation in Alice Springs. It consists of 35 beds, but has capacity to accommodate approximately 55 people ...
Mrs Braham: For short-term accommodation.
Mr McADAM: Well, if you would like to listen, I am prepared to take a question from you.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Braitling!
Mr McADAM: Yes, it is for supported accommodation purposes. Clearly, there will be capacity for people who want to come in on a short-term basis or, indeed, for people who might want to stay for two to three months. The important point is this: it will also alleviate some of the overcrowding that occurs in town camps throughout Alice Springs.
We have heard a lot recently in respect of the town camp situation in Alice Springs. This is an attempt by this government to work very closely with all sectors of the community in Alice Springs and have a look at real options in supported accommodation. It is for people coming into town for renal treatment, mums and their children coming into town for specialist services, and people coming into town for shopping and to spend dollars in town. These are the opportunities that will exist in respect of this program.
The other point I make is that there is $1.3m that we have allocated to Aboriginal Hostels Ltd, Yeperenye Hostel, which will provide an extra six units, 24 beds, for exactly the same purpose. It is a very responsible way of the Northern Territory government engaging with people in the community to provide well-managed accommodation options for those people who need it ...
Mrs Braham interjecting.
Mr McADAM: Who is going to manage it? Territory Housing is going to manage it for a 12-month period ...
Mrs Braham interjecting.
Mr McADAM: Well, you obviously do not have any faith in …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, cease interjecting!
Mr McADAM: You obviously do not have any faith in Territory Housing, and I will refer to them in a moment. Territory Housing will manage it for a 12-month period. There will be discussions with other providers in respect of the ongoing management of that.
I want to emphasise this point: Anglicare have come on board in respect of providing advice on business management. They have expertise with other hostels throughout the Northern Territory and, indeed, Australia. We have let contracts to local businesses in respect of catering. In fact, Kungkas Can Cook, a very well-known catering company in Alice Springs, is going to locate its business into this premise and they will provide meals there as well - very affordable costs right across the community.
Coming back to Territory Housing and their role in this particular exercise - and I believe it is a very important one to understand and appreciate - they have done an excellent job over the last few months in getting this project up. I particularly pay tribute to Mike Burgess, who is the CEO of Territory Housing and Local Government, Fiona Chamberlain, who has done an excellent job, and Julie Rannard in particular, who has worked very hard with all stakeholders in Alice Springs on this particular project. It would be remiss of me not to pay tribute to the Alice Springs Action Group, of which most people here would know. They have done a great job in getting this project up over two to three years. In particular, people like Mr Jonathan Pilbrow, Mr Eric Sultan and a whole host of other people who played a key role in getting this project going.
In conclusion, I pay tribute to a previous Minister for Central Australia, Peter Toyne, who was a great supporter of this particular project and worked very hard to get it up on behalf of people in Central Australia ...
Mrs Braham interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Braitling!
Mr McADAM: Peter Toyne …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, could you please pause for a moment. Member for Braitling, I remind you of Standing Order 51: ‘No member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance which in the opinion of the Speaker is designed to interrupt or has the effect of interrupting a member speaking’.
Mr McADAM: I will forgive her, Madam Speaker. You are forgiven, member for Braitling. She is a great member here in Alice Springs, a great independent member …
Mrs Braham interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, please pause. Member for Braitling, are you reflecting on the Speaker?
Mrs BRAHAM: No, I was reflecting on my behaviour.
Madam SPEAKER: Please resume your seat, member for Braitling. Minister, please continue.
Mr McADAM: In conclusion, I again pay tribute to Peter Toyne and to the previous Minister for Housing and Local Government, John Ah Kit, who also played a very important role in this.
Alice Springs, you should all be proud of this new project because it is a real community project, and that is the only way forward in respect to Alice Springs and a whole range of other initiatives and projects.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016