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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-11-15 Daily Xml
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SA Housing

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (14:34): My question is to the Minister for Human Services. What action has the minister taken to respond to the complaints of antisocial behaviour by tenants at the SA Housing complex at Novar Gardens, which have been brought to the minister's attention by Mr and Mrs Thackrah?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order from the member for West Torrens, which I will hear under 134.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Standing order 97. That presumes a series of facts.

The SPEAKER: Very well. In an effort to assist the member for Morphett he may wish to recast the question.

Mr PATTERSON: Certainly. What action has the minister taken to respond to the complaints of antisocial behaviour by tenants at the SA Housing complex?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Standing order 97, sir. Again, the shadow minister is assuming complaints have been made in trying to insert facts into the story.

The SPEAKER: Yes. It may be, member for Morphett, that you could express or refer to certain inquiries that may have been made and then you could describe them as complaints, if they are in fact complaints, by seeking leave. There are different methods—

Mr PATTERSON: Thank you. I shall do that then.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! In an effort to reduce the number of objections on standing order 97, a list of possible preamble introductions has been distributed to the whips. Of course, they are not the only list of possible preamble introductions, but nevertheless they might assist. Member for Morphett.

Mr PATTERSON: My question is to the Minister for Human Services. What has the minister done to respond to inquiries from residents of Novar Gardens? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr PATTERSON: That is a perfectly good question. I would answer that one.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Members to my left and right, there is a certain frisson, energy, in the room. It was obviously a late sitting—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Notwithstanding the self-assessment from the member for Morphett, leave has been sought. Is leave granted?

Leave granted.

Mr PATTERSON: Thank you. Mr and Mrs Thackrah are registered tenants of a unit within a SA Housing complex in Novar Gardens. On 25 October 2023, Mrs Thackrah was the victim of a dog attack and required extensive surgery to her foot. The dog belonged to an unregistered boarder who had been staying within that SA Housing complex. On 26 October, Mr Thackrah wrote to SA Housing to raise concerns about the dog attack and other antisocial behaviour within the complex, and I raised these concerns with the minister separately on 30 October.

The Hon. N.F. COOK (Hurtle Vale—Minister for Human Services) (14:37): Thanks for the question. I am not sure if you remember my phone call with you yesterday and also the other phone call last week and the five text messages—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: But honestly, I'm happy—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: I think that provides just a deal of context as to how seriously I take this particular incident and the care that I take in regard to that particular tenant and the incident. While I am very happy to respond to the question—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. N.F. COOK: I beg your pardon?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: What's off the record?

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will not respond to interjections.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: What's off the record?

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. N.F. COOK: Wow! I tell you, you will be no good in an Oscar.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Elizabeth!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: Follow up has been done in detail regarding this particular event. It has been very distressing for the tenant. I have had several conversations with my staff and conversations with housing in regard to the incident that led to this happening. There are obviously circumstances around the tenancy, not necessarily the victim's tenancy but another tenancy within that particular complex. There is an ongoing investigation into that. We have ensured that the person who owned that dog is no longer at that tenancy. There is an ongoing investigation into it.

We have reached out multiple times to the victim's household and have offered over and above the support that is required of a landlord to provide because we care about what has happened. This particular woman has had a significant injury as a consequence of awful behaviour from a person who has had a dog in that complex, which also is no longer there. We followed it up a number of times. I have texted the member five times, spoken with the member twice. The latest was yesterday.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: The latest conversation I had with the member was yesterday at approximately 12 o'clock.

An honourable member: Was that on the record?

The Hon. N.F. COOK: Well, it's definitely on the record now. One time we actually had difficulty reaching the family, so I rang the member to ask whether he had an alternate phone number and he provided that to me, so I really appreciate that.

Mr Whetstone: Off the record?

The Hon. N.F. COOK: No, that was on the record to me. I have got a record of it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Chaffey!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: This is a really serious incident which I have followed up in person, personally.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is on a final warning.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: The department is going above what is actually required but is very happy to work with that family to ensure that they can get as much comfort and support as we can provide.

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