Page 5397 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 16 November 2011
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government to ensure that people in housing are supported as we can. But again, if those costings are so flawed, I encourage the Greens to come forward with costings that support their bill.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary, Ms Hunter.
MS HUNTER: Minister, why does the data include analysis of providing security windows, security doors and window locks at a cost of $97 million, given there was no provision for security screens in the Greens’ bill, nor were they flagged in the discussion paper, and consultation on the bill resulted in the provision of window locks specifically being removed?
MS BURCH: I think I will refer members to Hansard, and I do not have it here. But in your comments when you tabled the bill, when you were sitting in this chair and not in that chair, you referred to minimum standards around security. You referred to minimum standards around energy, water, sanitation and the like. And security, we have taken to be secure doors and secure windows. And that is what we costed.
MS LE COUTEUR: Supplementary.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Le Couteur, a supplementary.
MS LE COUTEUR: Minister, why does the data include analysis for installing air conditioners for 5,000 houses given that no such provision was outlined in the ACT Greens’ bill and how will installing air conditioners improve energy efficiency?
Mr Hargreaves: Point of order, Mr Speaker.
MS LE COUTEUR: How will installing air conditioners improve energy efficiency?
Mr Hargreaves: A point of order has been taken, Ms Le Couteur.
MR SPEAKER: There is a bit of confusion. Mr Hargreaves on a point of order.
Mr Hargreaves: I listened to Ms Hunter’s question and I was poised to receive your ruling on a point of order on that but now I am. Normally ministers are required to answer questions which come within the purview of their responsibilities. Both of these two questions were about items which were absent from the Greens’ bill, and the Greens’ bill is not within the responsibilities of the minister.
Ms Bresnan: On the point of order, Mr Speaker, the question was in relation to costings for the bill, which were tabled by the Minister for Community Services. Those costings referred to were in that document that was tabled by the minister. Therefore we can ask those questions.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Hargreaves on the point of order.
Mr Hargreaves: I respect what Ms Bresnan is saying except to say that the last thing that Ms Le Couteur actually said was “given that it was not in the Greens’ bill”. The whole subject was around whether it was in the Greens’ bill or not.
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