Mr MILLS - 2010-08-10
It was in May 2009 that you announced the creation of an NT affordable housing rental company. Why is it that your affordable housing company will not be delivering the 1200 homes Damian Hale has promised? Why has a Victorian company been chosen to deliver this promise? Is this not just another example of the complete failure of your government’s housing policies?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition demonstrates that he does not know what he is talking about. We are talking about two totally different schemes …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: … one established by the Northern Territory government in bringing to the Territory marketplace, for the first time, an affordable housing rental company. We are having significant discussions now with companies looking to establish in the Northern Territory, and we will cede to that company, in the first instance, a number of properties at the Wirrina redevelopment - another redevelopment that the opposition has condemned and opposed from day one. They are a do-nothing opposition with no plans for the Northern Territory, and just a faint and hollow echo of Tony Abbott, the puppet master, in Canberra.
The 1200 units of accommodation committed by the Prime Minister and Damian Hale, are under the NRAS scheme, which is the national affordability housing rental scheme. This is a national scheme which is not awarded through or by the Northern Territory government and is subscribed by the private sector.
With regard to the last two-and-a-half years in the Northern Territory, no one from the private sector in the development community has applied for, or been successful in, securing funding under the NRAS scheme. That is an issue for the private sector. If they decide not to play, that is their decision.
I welcome any business seeking to invest in the Northern Territory. I do not disparage business. I do not attack businesses because they do not come from the Northern Territory. It just goes to show what an awful leader this Opposition Leader would be if he intends to put a wall up around the Northern Territory and say: ‘Investment from outside not welcome’. That means our economy would collapse. The Leader of the Opposition would build a big wall around the Northern Territory and say: ‘Investment from outside not welcome here. You are not welcome here. Go away’. That would be the Leader of the Opposition’s commitment to this place.
I welcome the Ethan proposal for 1200 units of accommodation. It is certainly visionary. It will be delivered here, as opposed to a do-nothing, no-policy opposition, which condemns investment in the Territory when it comes from outside the Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition demonstrates that he does not know what he is talking about. We are talking about two totally different schemes …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: … one established by the Northern Territory government in bringing to the Territory marketplace, for the first time, an affordable housing rental company. We are having significant discussions now with companies looking to establish in the Northern Territory, and we will cede to that company, in the first instance, a number of properties at the Wirrina redevelopment - another redevelopment that the opposition has condemned and opposed from day one. They are a do-nothing opposition with no plans for the Northern Territory, and just a faint and hollow echo of Tony Abbott, the puppet master, in Canberra.
The 1200 units of accommodation committed by the Prime Minister and Damian Hale, are under the NRAS scheme, which is the national affordability housing rental scheme. This is a national scheme which is not awarded through or by the Northern Territory government and is subscribed by the private sector.
With regard to the last two-and-a-half years in the Northern Territory, no one from the private sector in the development community has applied for, or been successful in, securing funding under the NRAS scheme. That is an issue for the private sector. If they decide not to play, that is their decision.
I welcome any business seeking to invest in the Northern Territory. I do not disparage business. I do not attack businesses because they do not come from the Northern Territory. It just goes to show what an awful leader this Opposition Leader would be if he intends to put a wall up around the Northern Territory and say: ‘Investment from outside not welcome’. That means our economy would collapse. The Leader of the Opposition would build a big wall around the Northern Territory and say: ‘Investment from outside not welcome here. You are not welcome here. Go away’. That would be the Leader of the Opposition’s commitment to this place.
I welcome the Ethan proposal for 1200 units of accommodation. It is certainly visionary. It will be delivered here, as opposed to a do-nothing, no-policy opposition, which condemns investment in the Territory when it comes from outside the Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016