Hove Level Crossing

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:49): My question is to the Minister for Human Services regarding housing. Considering the minister has now admitted she was aware of the Hove crossing project not proceeding, will the minister now apologise to the public housing tenants who went through hell due to this project?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:49): I think the government does acknowledge that this has been difficult for a number of the tenants. I don't think it is fair to characterise it as hell. I think that's the Labor Party playing mischief in that there were a number of tenants who I understand—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Leader of the Opposition, one of your frontbench colleagues asked a question. Please listen to the answer.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: My understanding is that the Housing Authority has been as sensitive to people's needs as they could be in terms of offering a range of options, providing as much time as possible—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: —and also offering to pay any of the full relocation costs.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: Not a hint of regret or apology.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I'm happy to apologise to the residents on behalf of the government for the disruption that this has caused to them, and it will be up to those tenants who have relocated if they wish to relocate. They might actually prefer where they are now. There is a range of options that people have availed themselves of. Some have moved from units to what I understand are freestanding, larger sized properties which may be on a—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: —larger block, so they may actually have found that this was an opportunity that they might not have otherwise been able to avail themselves of.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: So you kicked them out to give them opportunity.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: But for those who have been caused any distress and particular inconvenience, of course we apologise to those residents.