Page 3779 - Week 12 - Thursday, 22 November 2007
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11,467, and in 2003-04, because they had been pressured and pushed along, it actually went up a little bit, to 11,548. Sadly, in 2004-05 it went down again, to 11,415. Overall, that means there are now 600 fewer properties than there were when the Liberals left office. We left them in good shape and they have simply abused the money that has been coming to them from the commonwealth. The commonwealth quite clearly state that that is a concern.
During the period that we have talked about, the federal government has provided the states with $9.6 billion in funds for housing. The current five-year commonwealth-state housing agreement until 2008 provides states and territories with $4.75 billion for public and community housing. As I have said, what have we seen the Stanhope government do with its share of the money? We have seen stock reduced by some 600. Have we seen effective and targeted use of these funds and some significant improvements to the public housing sector? No, absolutely not—a sheer disappointment.
We also receive significant funding from the commonwealth for organisations to provide residential care for the elderly. What impact will a reduced population have? With the demographic of Canberra changing, it will be the elderly who are left behind—those who are retired now and those who will retire in the near future. Now we have specific programs designed to help people move into more independent living arrangements or to provide for their ongoing support needs, such as the supported accommodation assistance program, home and community care program and the commonwealth-state disability agreement.
We are looking at the impacts of a Rudd-led government, having regard to the changing demographics that we will see over the next little while. What impact will cutting the public service have? Those opposite are really looking at this through rose-coloured spectacles. They have no idea of what the true impact will be. When Kevin Rudd says he is going to slash the public service, it will affect every one of us in this place.
In the ACT the Stanhope government have already failed to increase the supply of public housing stock, as I said. I could go on and on. It will be an absolute tragedy, an absolute mess and an absolute debacle if a Rudd Labor government is elected. If they are elected, heaven help Australia. There are no plans there; the costings are still all over the place, as we have just heard. As late as today, they still have no proper, definite costings for the policies they have put out. That is dreadful news. I am sure the shadow Treasurer, Mr Mulcahy, will have something to say about this.
Mr Barr: We await with bated breath the Mulcahy verdict!
MRS BURKE: Even if you are not worried, Mr Barr, I think the rest of Australia should be extremely worried that policies are being released without being costed. We do not really know the full impact of those policies. We do not know the full impact of what is going to happen in the ACT. We will see Mr Rudd—
Mr Barr: I don’t think costings would be the biggest issue.
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