Page 728 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 26 February 2013

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door to their current facilities in Hackett. So the situation is currently being looked at by Property Group, and I have asked them to get back to me with a brief or to keep me informed of the progress of the request.

MR SESELJA: Minister, why has this process taken so long? Blue Gum made their application in February 2012 and were only advised in January 2013 that the space was unavailable. Why such a delay and why the confused communications?

MR RATTENBURY: I am not aware that that is the only communication that took place between Blue Gum and the Property Group within Territory and Municipal Services. The nature of these things is that there is usually a level of ongoing conversation. I would have to check, but I should imagine that there have probably been some informal telephone conversations. They way these things work is that there is a process of trying to find the right fit for the organisation that is seeking space within the available portfolio. There are conversations and efforts going on all the time to mix and match both the demands and the available space.

MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.

MR DOSZPOT: Minister, why was the school asked to accept a commercial operation in a common area that the school shares when their own requests for additional space are denied?

MR RATTENBURY: I am not exactly sure of what you are getting at there, Mr Doszpot. Certainly there has been a discussion about seeking to have a pharmacy facility made available. As members may know, there has been a considerable community desire to have a pharmacy established at the Hackett shops. Due to national pharmacy guidelines, they are unable to establish there, and there has been a community push to use some of the space at Hackett, at the old Hackett primary school site, to house the pharmacy.

Certainly, in my conversations with the principal at Blue Gum last week, I was left with the impression that it is perhaps possible to accommodate that. Also, as you can imagine, there would be some issues of security that would need to be thought about in having a pharmacy co-located with a school. The impression I was left with was that it was possible to work through those sorts of issues. That is the only commercial operation at the Hackett site that I can think of. I think that is where your question was going.

MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.

MR DOSZPOT: Minister, what action has been taken to assist the school with their now urgent accommodation needs that have been on the boil since February 2012?

MR RATTENBURY: As I indicated in my earlier response to Mr Seselja, this matter has now come to my attention in recent weeks. I have both visited the school site and had a discussion with them about their specific needs. I have also asked the Property Group to have another look at whether a solution can be found. I have asked them to come back to me with further details on that.


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