Housing SA

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (14:46): My question is to the Minister for Human Services. Can the minister advise how long Housing Trust residents can expect to wait for maintenance categorised as priority 1?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:46): Sorry; maintenance for category 1?

The Hon. J.E. HANSON: To assist the minister I will read my question again: can the minister advise how long Housing Trust residents can expect to wait for maintenance categorised as priority 1?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I thank the honourable member for his question in relation to these matters. I am not sure whether we have a particular waiting time in mind. Clearly, maintenance issues are things we take very seriously and seek to attend to, and I have been quite pleased, in my role as the minister responsible, that in terms of the ministerials I receive these things are usually attended to fairly quickly. We do have some matters that have taken too long and, in those instances, the agency has apologised to particular tenants, as have I, in terms of written responses.

In 2018-19, the maintenance program was allocated approximately $116 million overall. We have five contractors who operate across all South Australian regions, and they have particular KPIs they are required to perform to. In terms of what amount of time people can expect to wait, I am not sure I have that information in front of me, but I will see what further details I can get as to whether there is a particular time frame in mind and bring that back to the chamber.