Page 54 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 13 December 2016
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Land Development Agency—Westside village
MR HANSON: My question is to the Minister for Planning and Land Management and Minister for Urban Renewal. Minister, what were the success criteria in the LDA’s business case for the acquisition of the Westside container village?
MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Mr Hanson for his question. It is an exciting time, as we move forward, for urban renewal in the ACT. Of course, some of the proposals and developments that we see coming forward will help to move the ACT into that urban renewal place.
In regard to the specific question on Westside, the government applied in August 2016 for a 2.5 year extension, to April 2019. The NCA announced its decision via media release on 17 November this year. The LDA was not advised of the decision prior to that public announcement, therefore it had not engaged with those stakeholders at that time. We know that the vendors are disappointed and frustrated, but we will look to see how we can progress that opportunity for Westside.
MR HANSON: Minister, have compensation, rent reductions or other incentives been paid to tenants because the Westside container village has not met expectations?
MR GENTLEMAN: Currently the agreements are in place until 1 January next year, and I do not have any detail about any discussions on compensation at this stage.
MR DOSZPOT: Minister, was expenditure on the Westside container village approved by the board of the LDA or by the CEO of the Land Development Agency?
MR GENTLEMAN: I do not have that detail in front of me. I am happy to take that on notice and come back to the Assembly.
Community Services Directorate—disability services providers
MS LEE: My question is to the minister for disability. Minister, has there been a decline in the number of experienced practitioners in specialist disability and therapy services with the withdrawal of the Community Services Directorate from the sector as a service provider?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Ms Lee for her question and for her genuine interest in disability matters. I do not have with me the exact numbers of service providers under the NDIS or previously. What I can tell you is that the number of disability service providers has increased as a result of the rollout of the NDIS. The territory, of course, is the first jurisdiction to be rolling out the NDIS in full. This is a learning experience. The market in the ACT for disability service providers has grown. The ACT government and the directorate have been supporting disability service providers to transition to service provision under the NDIS.
MS LEE: Minister, were specialised staff from the Community Services Directorate retained within the ACT government in other roles?
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