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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 3 Hansard (24 March) . . Page.. 787 ..
MR WOOD (4.51): Mr Speaker, I move:
That:
(1) no further action be taken on the suggested sale of the Narrabundah Long Stay Caravan Park until the Government:
(a) provides to the Assembly all costs and benefits of the current operation; and
(b) advises the Assembly on the long term protection of tenants' rights;
(2) final decisions on the sale be dependent on the approval of the Assembly.
I want to say at the outset that I am pleased that the Minister, Mr Smyth, has indicated that he will talk to the residents and hear their comments and the problems that will be presented to them should the sale of the Narrabundah long-stay caravan park proceed. Mr Smyth has done a good job by agreeing to that meeting, whether or not this motion is successful. Along with those tenants who are in the chamber today, I express my appreciation. This motion, as I am sure Mr Smyth knows, is about people's homes. I do not think there is much more in our world more important than our homes. You would have to say that life itself - health, wellbeing, food and family - are more important but in any event that is wrapped up around our homes and our occupancy of them.
When we are dealing with people's homes, in whatever circumstances, we have to pay very careful attention, because it is a vital issue when people face the threat of losing those homes and are in peril of not having an alternative. At this stage people at the Narrabundah long-stay park are quite uncertain about their future. The Minister has given some notice, but the future is unclear. As things stand, there will be a change of ownership. The suggestion in media releases has been that it is probably no more than that - there will be new owners and everything will carry on the same, thanks. That has been the inference. That may be the case, but my best guess is that it is not the case; that there will be a significant change one way or the other.
I see no reason for any change at all. The information that has been put out suggests that the park returns something like $100,000 a year to the ACT Government. I can only guess at the capital value of the site. I have heard figures of $800,000 upwards. It seems to me that $100,000 is a pretty good return on capital. I do not think the park needs to be sold. I do not think there needs to be any change at all, but I have to argue in the event that such a change arises.
Like the residents, I hear all sorts of stories. I hear stories that it may become an olive grove, which is not surprising, because there are olives around the place. I hear stories that it may become a housing development. I cannot accept those, because I cannot see
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