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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-09-29 Daily Xml
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APY LANDS, HOUSING AUDIT

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood) (14:49): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Will the minister update the house on the progress of the housing audit begun by her department more than a year ago to deal with the lack of coordination with government housing on the APY lands; and will the minister also advise why, on a recent visit to the APY lands, I saw house after house after house unoccupied, many for more than 12 months, whilst families of up to 20 people are crammed into one small dwelling?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers, Minister Assisting the Premier in Social Inclusion) (14:49): I am very—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: —happy to provide a response on this matter, because it became obvious when I became minister that there is an issue in relation to how accommodation for government housing is managed on the lands. As Minister for Aboriginal Affairs I initiated a housing audit. I believe the member asked me this question in estimates, and we are very vigorously undertaking an audit across government. We are having to deal with—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Norwood, you are on your second warning; you will go again soon, and you will go for three days. Listen to the answer; you asked the question.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: I advised him at the time that, in relation to coordinating government accommodation, we were having to deal with teachers who had contracts in relation to their accommodation and we also had to deal with SAPOL.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: Often, the community had misperceptions about the housing that was available, just like the member for Norwood. For instance, something that appeared to be vacant often was not vacant. This is the reality of organising—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: —accommodation on the lands. We need to work across government. I think, quite frankly, that we do need—

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Finniss, you are warned.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: I think that we do need a new regime and a new policy for organising government housing on the lands, and we are working towards that. I am hopeful that in the next couple of months we will be able to progress that policy through cabinet. I have to say, though, one thing that the Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts (John Hill) and I were very pleased to announce earlier this year at the time of the budget was nearly half a million dollars for assistance for art centres.

Mr PENGILLY: Point of order, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Point of order: member for Finniss.

Mr PENGILLY: The minister referred to the Minister for Health as John Hill. He must be referred to by his title.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Finniss. I didn't hear that with all the interjections; sorry. The minister will keep that in mind. Minister, back to your answer.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: I acknowledge that we need to do things differently in relation to housing on the lands. We are doing that, and I am hopeful that we will have a new model and plan in the next number of months.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

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