Page 3734 - Week 10 - Thursday, 14 September 2017
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MR COE: Under the asset recycling initiative rules, are you allowed to have any public housing on those sites?
MR BARR: Under the asset recycling initiative rules, yes, we are. We are not excluded from that. The point I make is that we are retaining public housing on Northbourne Avenue.
Opposition members interjecting—
MR BARR: Those opposite might need to look at Condamine Court as an example of that.
Centenary Hospital for Women and Children—aluminium cladding
MS LAWDER: My question is to the Minister for Health. I refer to the Canberra Times article of 13 September 2017 reporting significant delays in the availability of cladding to replace dangerous flammable cladding, including on the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children. I also note your answers to questions in this Assembly over the past two days where you stated that the Health Directorate has not ordered replacement cladding as yet. Minister, considering that the minister for planning has consistently stated that your government is at the forefront of monitoring the use of this cladding in Australia, why have you not yet ordered the cladding?
MS FITZHARRIS: As I indicated in my answer yesterday, we are undertaking a piece of work—it is called a statement of requirements—in order to inform our subsequent procurement of panels.
Madam Speaker, the opposition is continuing to demonstrate an utter lack of (1) any common sense and (2) a clear knowledge and understanding of our procurement processes.
MS LAWDER: Minister, why are you replacing that cladding if, as you say, it is safe?
MS FITZHARRIS: I have said repeatedly on advice from experts, including fire experts—including ACT Fire & Rescue—that the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children is a modern and safe building. What I have also said on repeated occasions in this place and to the media—which I know the opposition listen to—is that we are going the extra mile at the hospital and removing the cladding panels that we know contain the polyethylene core. That is five to 10 per cent of the panels. We are undertaking the necessary work to make the correct order.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, when will you table the report advising you that there was combustible cladding used on the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children?
MS FITZHARRIS: I have answered a significant number of questions, and I have not been directly asked, to my knowledge, to table that report. There has been sufficient discussion about this. I have been very clear, very open—
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