Question Time

EMERGENCY HOUSING

The SPEAKER: We will now return to question time. Minister Rankine, do you still have some more to answer?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability) (15:25): Madam Speaker, I have only just started.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I have only just begun. The very first Nation Building house was due for completion on 1 December 2009. However, it was finished on 10 November, handed over to a Housing SA office on 24 November and allocated to tenants on 28 November—all while it was still scheduled to be a building site.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: At the start of this month, 401 new properties and 503 upgrades had been completed with 691 of the houses allocated to tenants, and the process continues. More houses will be completed and more families will be housed as they are handed over. To complete construction of 1,011 homes by 31 December—not Christmas, 31 December—is, and always was, an ambitious target and our winter rains no doubt posed problems for the builders contracted to do the work.

This government does not shy away from ambitious targets, but the report that there will be 800 new completed Nation Building houses vacant over Christmas is simply not right. This makes two assumptions: that every property is completed by every builder before 31 December, and accepted without faults, and that Housing SA will not allocate a single new property between now and the end of the year.

I can assure you, Madam Speaker, that Housing SA is in the business of housing people. We provide 45,000 houses on an ongoing basis. We allocate between 2,000 and 3,000 to new tenants every year and last year we helped more than 21,000 people with private rental assistance. Now, the Liberals may sit back over the holidays and do nothing but we continue to put our shoulders to the wheel and keep working to help those in need. As these new homes are completed, they will be allocated—either by Housing SA or one of the non-government organisations that are thrilled to be receiving these houses—as soon as the internal works required by Housing SA are completed.

Indeed, the 2010 Productivity Commission's Report on Government Services showed that South Australia had—let me just make these points: South Australia provides public housing assistance at the lowest cost in the nation. We have the highest per capita percentage of public housing stock in the country and we rank second nationally in turnaround times. In fact, we averaged 22.7 days compared to a national average of 26.2 days. This means that more people get stable and affordable accommodation earlier.

Apart from houses due to be completed by the end of this year, it is important to remember the Nation Building program is focused on providing both jobs as well as affordable rental housing. The Nation Building Economic Stimulus package is supporting the $130 million urban renewal of Woodville West. It is also supporting the 16-storey, $50 million, UNO Apartments on Waymouth Street that have just started construction. It is providing housing for people experiencing homelessness, domestic violence victims—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE:—people with disabilities, as well as children who cannot live safely with their parents. This program is on target to deliver housing, jobs—

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: You said about 15 minutes ago that this minister should get on and wind up.

The SPEAKER: I presume your point of order is relevance. We don't need any more comment. Minister, can you wind up your question? Question time has finished.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Thank you, Madam Speaker, but I was asked a question and I am undertaking my duty—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: If it were up to the Liberals—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Question time has finished. Minister, I would ask you to wind your question up.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: If it were up to the Liberals, none of this would be occurring. They voted against the stimulus package in the federal parliament—

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: On a point of order, the minister is debating.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for MacKillop, sit down. I don't think that was a point of order because she had only just started talking and you jumped up again straightaway, but I think the minister has finished her answer. The house will note grievances.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. I ask you to clarify to the house why, on 14 May 2002, when the then member for Bright was named, a debate occurred on the question of whether the explanation be heard.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: It was your government, minister. I am asking, if the same standing orders applied on 14 May 2002 when a debate occurred on that motion, why is it a debate does not occur now?

The SPEAKER: I have no idea why a debate occurred in 2002 when the Speaker was speaker Lewis, but I can guess. I will come back to you and answer. My advice from the Clerks and my opinion is no debate will occur, but I will come back to you later with that.