Housing Trust

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (14:57): My question is to the Minister for Housing. Will the minister release the review into the maintenance contracts under the SA Housing Trust and, if so, when?

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION (Taylor—Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Housing Infrastructure, Minister for Planning) (14:57): The good news is the review is in and it was done by the respective chairs of the Housing Trust, Renewal SA, SA Water, and given secretarial services through my department. It's an important review to do because maintenance is a critical issue for the trust. We have 33,000-odd properties, but the average age of those properties is 44 years old. We have an ageing stock, and that's why we need renewal.

This is the first government to actually be adding to public housing by building new public homes. The Minister for Human Services was critical in our election commitment, and when we got into government we increased those numbers; so it's important to do that. We know there's incredible demand out there, and we know that maintenance is critical to two things: making sure we have more vacant homes that are offerable to people and making sure we've got homes fit for human habitation, so those two things. It is understandable that the honourable member demands immediate action out of us, even though they spent four years selling public homes.

Mr Telfer interjecting:

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: While The Advertiser is entitled to strong public advocacy on this matter, I don't think the opposition's record gives them the credibility to be screaming across the chamber at me.

Mr Telfer interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Flinders, you asked the question, listen in silence to the answer.

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: We will consider the maintenance review in due course, as governments do, and we will think very carefully about what our policy response is. We want to get things right in public housing. Public housing is a big part of the solution to the national housing crisis, because we know we have people on fixed incomes who can't find a place in a private rental. We know that the affordable rental category that is mainly done by community housing providers—that is, 75 per cent of market rate—is also a very important tool in providing at least a stable rental that is affordable in communities. So we want to make sure we get the maintenance contracts right. We want to make sure we are putting in place the right solutions to fix the issues that were raised, and we—

Mr Telfer: So release the review. Just come in and table it so everyone knows.

The SPEAKER: The member for Flinders can leave the chamber until the end of question time.

The honourable member for Flinders having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: I speak as something of an expert on this: he got what he wanted, which was to be ejected from the chamber. We will properly consider the maintenance review, and when the government is ready to respond, we will.