Page 3106 - Week 08 - Thursday, 7 August 2008
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coherent regime already in place under the existing act or being governed or managed in an ad hoc manner. Opposition to this clause is sensible.
Clause 6 negatived.
Clause 7 agreed to.
Clause 8.
MR HARGREAVES (Brindabella—Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Minister for Housing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (6.36): I move amendment No 2 circulated in my name [see schedule 2 at page 3114]. I also present a supplementary explanatory statement to the government amendments.
The Housing Assistance Amendment Bill 2008 establishes a registered framework for not-for-profit housing providers, and at the appropriate time I will move some amendments that were circulated to members yesterday.
Since we first debated the bill, I have arranged further discussions with representatives from the opposition and crossbenches of the Assembly, and I have received written feedback from a number of community agencies. I have also arranged for briefings of interested stakeholders by the department and members of my staff. These discussions have included agencies such as ACTCOSS, ACT Shelter, CHC Affordable Housing, Havelock Housing Association, TAS Housing, ECHO Housing, the Tenants Union, and the ACT and Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry. I welcome the comments from ACT Shelter and from Ara Creswell of ACTCOSS that they were very satisfied with the process that we have put in train. If the Assembly would like, I can table evidence to that effect. However, in the interests of time, I will not.
I am pleased to say that the government will adopt a number of positive and worthwhile suggestions that have arisen from both the written material received from and the discussions that have been held with community agencies. These discussions have also been useful in clarifying a number of other issues raised by community agencies. For example, I can assure the Assembly that the bill does not seek to regulate supported accommodation services, such as those provided by homelessness services. In addition, a minimum cap of 10 residential properties was included to ensure that very small agencies managing only one to two properties are not incorporated within a regulatory system.
I advise the Assembly that the government amendments will provide greater clarification of the exercise of the powers of the Commissioner for Housing, enhanced opportunities for appeals and external review, and greater oversight by the Legislative Assembly through the ability to disallow important subordinate legislation. We will discuss these as we go along.
The government is amending clause 8 in line with suggestions made by those people who have taken part in the consultation process. The government will further amend section 25A to confirm that the commissioner’s ability to place conditions on the registration of a provider is appealable. Conditions on a registration may relate to such
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