Page 2143 - Week 06 - Thursday, 7 May 2009
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He talks about the significance of the community housing sector. Does he acknowledge the transfer of $40 million worth of assets and $50 million worth of revolving credit so that the community housing sector can grow its stock by 1,000 units in 10 years? No, he does not, Mr Speaker. He does not know. He does not know about it or he chooses not to say so.
Mr Coe: You said they were wasteful. You said they did not use the equity.
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, it is very difficult to have a conversation with your good self while I hear the inane ramblings of an idiot across the chamber.
Mr Coe: I’m in the same boat.
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, I would ask you to seek Mr Coe’s cooperation. I heard him in silence; now I would like the same courtesy extended to me. And it saves me having to raise my voice over that particular cackle.
Mr Speaker, the difference in housing provision in the ACT at the moment is the partnership that the ACT government has actually in place with the federal government, in addition to our own activities—our own activities. Our buy and sell program in a year is worth $60 million.
Now we have all of those initiatives which sit in this budget which are additional. This is not the base. Our housing portfolio is significant, Mr Speaker. What part of about 30 per cent of the whole of the rental market in the ACT do these people not understand? It is 8.3 per cent of the whole of the ACT—8.3 per cent of the whole thing. What part of 88 per cent of our client base receive a rebate?
This is what Ms Bresnan was talking about, and I support the view that she set. She said this. It may have been Ms Hunter; I will apologise if I get the wrong one. She said: “You have to look after the most disadvantaged. You have got to look after those people that are not going to get there.” That is why we will look after the Greens and we will not look after you—because you are never going to get there.
Mr Speaker, we need to understand that there has been a change of government at the federal level. I used to go to ministerial councils and housing ministerial councils and bash my head up against a brick wall. The brick wall was Amanda Vanstone, Carl Scully and people like that. They were deaf brick walls, too. There was a whole change in attitude when the Howard government was given the right royal order of the boot and then the Rudd government came to power. Then we saw $100 million come our way. We saw the national affordable housing strategy come forward. We saw housing forums. We saw the money flow. And the money is to flow for homelessness. It is for homelessness, Mr Speaker; that is what it is all about.
These guys have given us budget reply speeches which have done nothing but whinge. “You did not do this.” “You did not do that.” “You did not do something else.” “You have not got the money.” “Don’t spend.” “Oh, spend like crazy.” “Don’t spend,” says this guy. “You must spend over here,” they say. Where is their alternative budget?
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