Page 1459 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 9 May 2017

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MS LAWDER: Minister, what directions or guidance did you or your office or your directorate give in relation to the need to change the Territory Plan before you could proceed with the public housing developments?

MS BERRY: I will take the question on notice.

MR HANSON: I am guessing what the answer is going to be, but, minister, what discussions did you or your office or your directorate have with the minister for planning or his office or directorate in relation to the need to change the Territory Plan, and what was the time frame of those discussions?

MS BERRY: I will take the question on notice.

Public housing—Wright

MR HANSON: My question is to the Minister for Housing and Suburban Development. Minister, I refer to documents obtained under FOI that show that sites for Holder, Chapman, Mawson and Wright were under active consideration for redevelopment as public housing from 6 November 2014. It is noted that in the suburb of Wright there was community land of 9,191 square metres and that “half would be required for public housing”. Minister, why did you not inform the residents of Wright who were purchasing land in that location in 2014, 2015 and 2016 that half of the community land adjacent to their respective properties would be required for public housing?

MS BERRY: As Mr Hanson has identified in his question, those sites were being considered at that time and there had been no decision made at that time about whether or not they would be suitable for public housing as part of the public housing renewal program.

MR HANSON: Minister, why didn’t you tell the residents in Holder, Chapman, Mawson or Monash equally that public housing was being planned for their suburbs as early as 2014?

MS BERRY: Public housing is planned for every suburb in this city, as part of the ACT government’s salt-and-pepper approach to making sure that we have public housing across every suburb in the ACT. It has been part of the government’s conversation for some time now. Particularly, since the most recent election, in October last year, the ACT Labor Party, along with the Greens, came up with an agreement which also has public housing renewal mentioned in it. It is very important to the Labor Party, with the support of the Greens, to ensure that our public housing tenants get the best possible housing so that they can live decent and happy lives and have the same goals and aspirations as the rest of us.

Members interjecting

MADAM SPEAKER: Gentlemen, the minister is answering—


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