Page 1068 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 16 March 2005
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
funding from the states and territories to SAAP V during the agreement. This allowed those states that were under the 50 per cent time to get up to it. The ACT is well over that figure.
I am very pleased that all ministers were able to agree on a way forward for this SAAP agreement. At the end of this meeting, the ACT was facing a significant drop in funding and I am now hopeful that a positive conclusion can be reached for the people of the ACT.
MR GENTLEMAN: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Can the minister advise how the Stanhope government’s funding contribution for SAAP services differs from the previous government’s?
MR HARGREAVES: Yes, I can, Mr Gentleman. It was through the development of the ACT homelessness strategy, breaking the cycle. The Stanhope government has increased funding to address homelessness by 86 per cent. The ACT now funds 53 crisis, medium and long-term supported accommodation and associated support services. In 2005-06, the ACT government will provide $9 million in funding for SAAP services. The commonwealth government has offered $5.454 million in 2005-06. Over the next five years, the Stanhope government will increase its funding by $21.7 million. From 2005-06 to 2009-10, the Stanhope government will be providing—wait for it—$47.195 million towards SAAP services. During the same period, the commonwealth government will be providing $28.466 million.
This means the ACT government will be providing 62 per cent of total funding for SAAP services over the next five years. In comparison, the funding provided by the previous Liberal government in their final full year in office, 2000-01, was $4.3 million. Let me repeat that: the Stanhope government is providing $9.095 million compared with $4.3 million under the previous Liberal government. These facts make a mockery of the claims last week by the shadow minister for community services that the ACT government had failed to ensure that SAAP funding is at a premium.
The ACT government will be providing 62 per cent of total funding for SAAP services over the next five years. So the ACT government will be providing $47.195 million compared with $28.466 million by the commonwealth. How can this possibly be construed as a failure by the ACT government to ensure SAAP funding is at a premium? Indeed, I received a letter only today, just at lunchtime—
Mr Smyth: Oh, from a staffer?
MR HARGREAVES: No, funny you should mention that, Mr Smyth!
MR SPEAKER: Order! Minister, direct your comments through the chair.
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, it was in fact from a staff member in Mrs Burke’s office—one, Senator Kay Patterson.
Mrs Burke: From my office?
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .