SA Housing Authority Property Maintenance

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (14:31): My question is to the Premier. When did the Premier receive advice about the overdue maintenance backlog on South Australia's Housing Trust properties?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:31): The question was specifically to me. I thank the shadow minister for his question. The government has had a determined policy to address public housing maintenance backlog since we came to office. We made a number of commitments before we came to government around this policy, and we have been working as expeditiously as possible to be able to do that.

The former government established a program to have a new head contractor in terms of the arrangements of maintenance. That process was well and truly in train at the time of the state election and ultimately resulted in Spotless being appointed to do that work. Recent revelations in the media from The Advertiser have resulted in a degree of surprise in some quarters within the government.

Certainly, I think it's fair to say that when we learned of the size of the challenge that is currently being endured by some tradies—not all tradies, of course—in the system, that has invited a response from the government, and the shadow treasurer spoke to some of that yesterday. I am sure the minister can provide more detail about that if it is required.