SA Housing Authority

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (15:05): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Human Services regarding Housing Trust forced downsizing.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS: Members of parliament have been contacted by residents of SA Housing Authority properties in distress, having had telephone calls and visits from a state government authority informing them that they will be moved from their current home because they allegedly aren't fully utilising the space of the housing, the number of bedrooms. My questions to the minister are as follows:

1. Is the minister aware of Housing Authority tenants being contacted?

2. Did the minister authorise the forced downsizing and, if so, when was this policy approved?

3. What consultation did she undertake to come to this decision?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (15:06): I thank the honourable member for her question. I think, once again, as we saw in the previous sitting week, the Labor Party might be coming into this place with stories that are largely fabricated. If we can cast our minds back to the previous question time, the SA Housing Trust was being accused of having evicted someone and using its three strike policy to evict someone who, as it was outlined in here, was quite vulnerable. On receiving the identity of that individual and checking it with my department, the only part of the story that I think is possibly true is the fact that the deputy leader had discovered this individual, but the facts as outlined to the chamber were incorrect.

If I am to accept this Labor member's question at face value, I am not aware of any forced relocation policy within the Housing Authority or Housing SA. We certainly do have a situation in South Australia where we have stock that doesn't necessarily match tenants' needs. We also have situations where we need to redevelop some properties. My understanding of the way that the authority operates is—particularly in terms of if there is a need to move someone—that that is done in close consultation with them, not in a forced manner, as has been outlined to the chamber. But I will double-check and bring back something for the chamber if that is not true.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: You are frequently not on top of it—frequently.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Ah, well, your deputy leader was fabricating facts last, so you be careful.

The PRESIDENT: Through me.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: You be very careful—

The PRESIDENT: Through me.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: —Labor members.

The PRESIDENT: Minister, we have finished. The Hon. Ms Pnevmatikos has a supplementary.