Question Time

Housing Trust Rent

Ms COOK (Hurtle Vale) (14:25): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier explain to Bernette, a Housing Trust tenant from Moonta, how she is expected to pay for the government's rent increase? With your leave and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Ms COOK: Bernette, who receives the Newstart Allowance, lives in a Housing Trust property in Moonta. Bernette has lymphoma in both of her eyes and she receives ongoing treatment, including chemotherapy injections in both eyes. It's already difficult for Bernette to get by. As a result of the government's rent increases, she will struggle even more.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (14:26): It's bad enough, frankly, that the Leader of the Opposition should be mischievously out there inflaming a situation and trying to deal with it. Let me tell you what Sam, who is a one-bedroom cottage tenant—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Premier has the call.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Are you listening to this? He is a one-bedroom cottage tenant who wrote back also on the feedback on this, and he said:

Great idea about Housing SA one-bedroom cottage units. We all should pay 25 per cent on pensions, not different amounts. Just because of one-bedroom, it's still a home. These people are working full-time also.

Twenty-five per cent of their income—they want equity. They want parity and they are entitled to have it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Not what—

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier will be seated. The member for Hurtle Vale can depart for half an hour under 137A.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: What is the point of order?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Two points of order, sir: 97 and 98.

The SPEAKER: Okay, I will deal with that after I have dealt with the member for Hurtle Vale, whom I have asked to leave under 137A for half an hour.

Ms COOK: I apologise for saying the truth, sir.

The SPEAKER: Other Speakers would have named you for that offence. I will be merciful today only.

Ms COOK: Thank you, sir.

The honourable member for Hurtle Vale having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: So when the member for Hurtle Vale—

The SPEAKER: There was a point of order—97 and 98—by the member for West Torrens. I have the point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Sir, as soon as ministers begin answering the questions, they invoke argument and single out members, which generate a response.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: They generate a response, sir.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It is a deliberate tactic to create disorder in the house.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order, member for West Torrens, thank you. As previous Speakers have ruled, when there are extensive facts that are introduced into a question, that does permit a broader answer. I respectfully understand the member for West Torrens' points of order. I will be listening very carefully to the Deputy Premier's answer to ensure that she does not detract from the question. Deputy Premier.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: May I raise a point of order, sir? When the question is framed in such a way to say, 'What would somebody say to a person?'—

The SPEAKER: What is the point of order?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: —then that suggests, under standing order 97, an extraordinarily broad remit.

The SPEAKER: Yes, and I have upheld that today. Yes, I agree. Deputy Premier.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: When the member for Hurtle Vale comes into this discussion about the response in relation to housing tenant review processes under this budget, which she's entitled to do, she can have a view on it and we don't take issue with that. What we say is that there has to be some accuracy with the allegations. Just today, her statement, 'This could see many low income Housing Trust tenants facing rent hikes of up to $50 per week'—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Again, they chorus, 'That is right.' That is not right. That is completely inaccurate. So that it's clearly on the record, that is completely inaccurate. I would say to the member for Hurtle Vale, if she wants to go through each of the opportunities in relation to the review on middle income, which won't start for some several years, it will not be up to $50 per week. It is mischievous for the Labor opposition to go out and inflame and heighten the concern already in the community about this issue. Sure, go out there and put your case. We don't have an issue with that. But don't come in here and inflame people and worry them, and don't scream out, 'When did you go to a Housing Trust tenant?'

Let me say this: when the former government came into office, they went through my seat of Bragg and they sold off every possible Housing Trust property they could find. In addition to that, they sold them off because they thought they were of high value and they would get plenty of money to prop up all their dodgy budgets every year. That's what happened. They sold them off, and families like the Baktiari family, who had some refuge in my electorate separate from the communities that they were in and needed protection, no longer had big enough dwellings for large families, for immigrant people. That's what they did.

They sold them off. Why? Because they just wanted to capitalise on the money and then spend it on all their wasteful programs, which have left us in this mess. That is the shameful legacy you have left in public housing in the state.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order: the deputy leader was quoting from her mobile phone at the beginning of her answer. I would like her to table the entire contents of that message for the purposes of the house.

The SPEAKER: Would the Deputy Premier like to table that document?

The Hon. V.A. Chapman: Yes.

The SPEAKER: She is happy to table that document. Leader, with all respect, I have given the opposition much latitude today. We are 24 minutes into question time and not a question to the government. I call the member for Heysen.