Page 4063 - Week 09 - Thursday, 26 August 2010
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Members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! This is a question for the Speaker, not any minister. Mr Seselja, I am almost speechless. I think that there are regular calls across the chamber as the question comes, from both sides of the chamber. I think that your point of order is not a point of order. Minister Burch, you have the floor.
MS BURCH: The process of doing an audit on our properties is indeed—I have almost forgotten the question after that bit of nonsense. I was wondering who was actually asking the questions. I think the question was: what is the purpose of the audits and will the information be made public? I do not know if the information will be made public. It will certainly inform internal processes within Housing ACT. As a good asset manager, that is what you do with that information. Will it trigger repairs and maintenance? It no doubt will trigger repairs and maintenance. We have a contract with Spotless for a total facilities management program that does reactive and proactive repairs and maintenance as it is, and we are moving increasingly, because of this good, solid system in place, to more proactive remedies and dollars being spent than reactive. I think it goes to improving the quality of Housing ACT stock.
MS LE COUTEUR: A supplementary question, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Le Couteur.
MS LE COUTEUR: Minister, as a result of the asset maintenance checks, will you be looking at upgrades to houses for solar hot water energy efficiency, particularly given the government’s new commitment to 40 per cent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions?
MS BURCH: I thank Ms Le Couteur for her question. Indeed, that is all part of it. We have $20 million all ready just to target energy efficiencies within Housing. That includes double glazing, sealing around windows and insulation, and it also includes replacing heaters as they fail. It also targets hot-water systems, so looking where we can to put gas hot-water systems and heat banks and solar boost systems, but certainly high star ratings for electric water systems. So it is, indeed, absolutely something we do.
MR COE: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, once assets are fully depreciated, what difference will that have for whether the repairs are done or not?
MS BURCH: I leave some of those finetuned decisions to the asset managers. We have a rolling program of repairs. We also have a rolling program as to whether properties are sold and other new properties are bought. This is all part and parcel of a robust process of asset management.
Mr Stanhope: I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.
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