Page 1691 - Week 05 - Thursday, 11 May 2017

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It is very pleasing to see the increase in output in our international engagement since the commissioner has come on board. I can say that he is certainly enjoying a much more productive working live working positively for the city of Canberra rather than being part of the opposition rabble.

Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders—bush healing farm

MRS DUNNE: My question is to the Minister for Health. On 26 July 2016, minister, the ACT Health Directorate sent a letter to Winnunga Nimmityjah offering funding of $75,000 to establish an alcohol and other drug residential rehabilitation service at the Ngunnawal bush healing farm, including development of a model of care as outlined in an attachment to the letter titled “Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm Alcohol and Other Drug Residential Rehabilitation Service—Model of Care”. Minister, did Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service accept that offer of funding?

MS FITZHARRIS: Yes, I believe they did.

MRS DUNNE: Minister, who authorised the letter of offer made to Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service on 28 July 2016?

MS FITZHARRIS: I will take that question on notice.

MR MILLIGAN: Minister, who decided that the bush healing farm was not going to be an alcohol and other drug residential rehabilitation facility, and when was that decision made?

MS FITZHARRIS: No-one has made that decision. As I indicated, rehabilitation is a journey. What I said yesterday was that the Ngunnawal bush healing farm will not be a detoxification facility. The precise definition of what “rehabilitation” means is something that we are working through in the model of care.

Planning—community facility zoning

MS LAWDER: My question is to the Minister for Planning and Land Management in relation to the public housing developments announced on 15 March this year. Minister, documents obtained through FOI requests refer to a Community Services Directorate and Public Housing Renewal Taskforce meeting of 23 April 2015. I quote: “potential exists for development of portions of existing sites in established areas designated ‘Community Facility’. A number of these sites have overlays excluding supportive housing and no site allows general residential use … The use of Community Facility Zoned land would require the Environment and Planning Directorate to support a Territory Plan Variation.”

Minister, given that the Public Housing Renewal Taskforce knew that they could not put public housing on community facility zoned land without amendment of the Territory Plan, what consultation did you or your office or directorate undertake prior to making the changes to the Territory Plan?


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