National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:34): A supplementary arising from the original answer.

The PRESIDENT: I am hopeful.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: The minister stated in her original answer that funding continues to be provided for remote Indigenous housing. How much funding is being provided since the expiry of the agreement? To what communities has that funding been provided, and what is the budget for remote Indigenous housing over the course of this financial year, of this funding that she speaks about still being available?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:35): I thank the honourable member for the supplementary. The exact details of how much funding—

The Hon. K.J. Maher: You've got no idea. Again, no idea.

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, I can't hear.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Chuck him out.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Ridgway, I don't need gratuitous advice from you. Minister.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: The exact amount of funding I would need to double-check but I have specifically asked my officials to assure me that funding is available in the 2018-19 financial year for this program to ensure that we don't run out of—

The Hon. K.J. Maher: You think you would have had an idea by now; the fifth time you've been asked about it and you've still got no idea.

The PRESIDENT: It's getting tiresome, Leader of the Opposition. Minister.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: —to ensure that we have sufficient funding available for housing in remote communities, and the answer from my department is that they have absolutely no concerns, that there is sufficient funding for this period.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: Supplementary.

The PRESIDENT: No, the Hon. Mr Hunter caught my eye.