Page 2809 - Week 09 - Thursday, 27 September 2007
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I am glad that this topic was suggested because it is a pressing item and a major project for my department. However, we need to bear a couple of things in mind. In particular, these properties are not the only government properties that are managed by a relatively small section of my department. The property group manages 158 properties that are insured for $498 million. By way of comparison, the surplus school properties are insured for $38 million. The tenure of the 158 properties in the portfolio differs. Some we own, some we lease, some are shared tenancies between government and private or community sector groups. The uses range from community facilities to office buildings, recycling estates, a convention centre, rural residential, business incubators, heritage buildings, childcare centres, storage facilities and depots.
Such a diverse portfolio raises many complex management issues, not the least of which is dealing with surplus properties. I want to reiterate that these properties are not the only government properties that my very small section, the property group, manages. The surplus school properties project currently is the highest priority for the property group and they are applying best practice management to these surplus properties. That involves ensuring that the current tenants are aware of what is happening with any given property and, where necessary, are being relocated to more suitable premises. It also involves providing security services, attempting to prevent vandalism—and it should be remembered that school properties, surplus or otherwise, are always prime targets for vandals—and carrying out required maintenance.
We also need to bear in mind that there are so many differing expectations around these properties. There are some—not many but some—people in the community who expect these properties to be reopened as schools. There are many people who have accepted the closure of the schools but who now want the properties kept for community use. There are those who expect us simply to hand the properties over to community organisations for no rent or no other charge. There are those who do not really care what happens to the buildings but want the open space retained.
Members would be aware that the consultation program that I announced in May 2007 is still underway. The third community meeting is happening tonight, for the Woden-Weston area. The consultation program is designed to gather all ideas from the community so that the government can make an informed decision about the future use of these properties.
The consultation program will cover two different levels. The first level will determine the best use for the sites at a regional level, and the second level will focus on the best uses for particular sites. This process will be completed when the consultant hands over the report in November 2007. The government will then have to decide what to do with the sites, and my department will continue to manage the properties until those decisions are made.
I repeat for the umpteenth time, Mr Speaker: the government has not decided what use the sites will be put to, and will not do so until the consultation is complete. Even then, the usual processes need to be gone through before any change in use can occur—that is, there are planning processes, development application processes and, in some cases, no doubt, transfer to the Land Development Agency for sale processes. In the
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