APY LANDS, HOUSING

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (14:59): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations, representing the Minister for Housing, a question about Aboriginal housing.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Last week the federal Indigenous affairs minister withdrew $900,000 of federal funding from South Australia as part of the national partnership agreement on remote Indigenous housing. This funding was withdrawn as South Australia failed to meet its target of 44 new houses in the APY lands. The government missed this target by 11 houses, or about a quarter of the project. While South Australia has been penalised for missing its target, Western Australia has exceeded its target and, as a result, received an extra $4 million in funding. Not only has South Australia lost funding, but we have missed out on a large bonus as a result of the mismanagement of this project. My questions are:

1. Why is one of the most vulnerable groups in our community going to be penalised for minister Rankine's failures?

2. When does the Rann government expect the remaining houses to be completed?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (15:00): I thank the member for his questions and will refer them to the Minister for Housing in another place and bring back a response.