Page 731 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 12 April 1994
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MINISTER FOR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION
QUESTION ON NOTICE NO 1202
Housing Trust Properties - Stromlo Forest Settlement
MR CORNWELL: Asked the Minister for Housing and Community Services -
(1) Is the ACT Government breaking a 1984 Agreement between ACT Housing Trust and ACT Forestry that preference would be given to forestry workers for housing at the Stromlo Forestry Settlement; and if not, why not.
(2) Is there another, later, agreement which changes (1), and if so, (a) what are the details; and (b) can a copy be provided to interested persons, including myself.
(3) If there is a later agreement; if so, (a) how widely was it disseminated when reached, e.g. were ACT Forests and the relevant unions advised; and (b) if not, why not.
(4) If relevant parties at (3) were not advised of a new post-1984 agreement, does this not indicate that they have been misled.
MR CONNOLLY: The answer to the Members question is as follows -
(1) A 1984 agreement between the Commonwealth Department of Territories and Local Government and employees of ACT Forests specified that, in allocating forest houses, preference would be given to people on the rural housing waiting list who were employed by ACT Forests and who had a need to live in forest areas.
Public housing in the Territory became subject to the requirements of the Housing Assistance Act 1987 and relevant gazetted housing assistance programs prior to self government.
In 1990 the Kaine Government entered into the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement. This legislation provides for housing assistance to be granted on the basis of need. Forest employees who meet the needs criteria for public housing and are registered on the waiting list for rural housing are allocated housing in accordance with their requirements as soon as it becomes available for them. However, there is no provision in the legislation to grant them priority over other applicants.
(2) With the exception of a small number of job tied houses, the allocation arrangements of the 1984 agreement have been overtaken by the legislation mentioned in the answer to (1). There is no later agreement.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Not applicable.
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