Page 1769 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 5 May 2010
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MS BRESNAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Given that Havelock Housing have said that they are willing for this review to be made public, could you please table this paper in the chamber by the end of today?
MS BURCH: I will have to take that on notice. I have concerns. Without talking directly with Havelock and having assurances from my department that there are no conflict of interest or confidential matters, I do not think I am able to do that. But I am quite happy to provide a brief to you and to do what I can to share with you what information I can.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Hunter, a supplementary?
MS HUNTER: Yes, Mr Speaker. Minister, does the government contribute to the lack of viability of community housing organisations when it rents housing properties to community housing at 35 per cent of market rent, despite many tenants only being able to pay 30 per cent of their income in rent?
MS BURCH: I would say that Housing ACT works well with the community housing sector. This is not about taking the community housing sector—we are investing in the community housing sector. Community Housing Canberra has been given transfer of property. It has got a line of credit. The government have made a commitment to increase our numbers—to maintain our numbers and increase, where possible, our numbers—in our social housing, but we also have a commitment to work with the community housing sector to make sure it is viable, that it has business models and that it provides alternatives across the housing continuum in the ACT.
MS LE COUTEUR: A supplementary, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Le Couteur.
MS LE COUTEUR: I am probably just a bit confused, but, given that it costs the community housing organisations 35 per cent and they rent them out at 30 per cent, how is the extra five per cent covered?
MS BURCH: There are different business models for the different community housing providers here in the ACT. Without the detail of all of those business models and how they are costed, I cannot go to the answer to that. But we have, I think, five or six different organisations that are providing social housing. Some are very small organisations that manage a very, very small stock and have a targeted client base, for want of a better word, and others go up to Community Housing Canberra, which is a large organisation and very forward thinking. Without the business model, I am happy to take that on notice and see what I can get back. But suffice to say that this government is interested in maintaining and supporting social housing, community housing, as an alternative on the housing continuum.
Disability services—kinship carers program
MR HANSON: My question is to the Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services. Minister, I note that the tender for the kinship carers program
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