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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-09-20 Daily Xml
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SHACK LEASES

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, representing the Minister for Environment, questions with regard to shack site rentals.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY: On Wednesday 18 July, the Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion shared some information, no doubt provided by the Minister for Environment, about the rental of shack sites situated on crown land, Particularly, the information provided made reference to the procedure in determining the rents and gave information about objections to new rents. The minister stated:

An independent valuer provides a report on the values of individual shack sites and the rationale for the valuation. The valuer's report is then provided to the Valuer-General for review.

The minister also stated:

I am also advised that the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources is conducting a review of those sites that are subject to an objection based on the supporting evidence provided by the lessees.

On 29 February, I attended a meeting with the minister and was advised that some leases are not covered by the Crown Land Management Act as they pre-date review provisions in the act, and some are covered by a different act altogether. Notwithstanding this, the minister assured me that as a courtesy he would extend all appeal and review rights afforded under the current act to these lessees. My questions to the minister are:

1. My office has made inquiries with the Valuer-General's office, which has confirmed that no valuer's report was provided to them and so the report was never reviewed by the Valuer-General. Can the minister provide details of when this was done, to whom the report was provided and who from the department provided the minister with this information?

2. Will the minister publicly confirm the undertaking he gave to me at the meeting held on 29 February?

3. How many shack lessees have lodged an objection to the new rent? Can the minister advise the outcome of objections which have been finalised and advise how many objections are still to be considered?

4. Given the minister's undertaking to allow review and appeal rights consistent with the Crown Land Management Act, why are objections to new rents based on supporting evidence provided by lessees when there is no requirement in the act for evidence to be provided by lessees?

5. Can the minister advise what will happen in circumstances where objections from lessees are received but do not include any supporting evidence?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (14:53): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions. He is, of course, correct in his assumption about where the information came from that I relayed to the council. In relation to his five questions, I will undertake to take those to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation in the other place and seek a response on his behalf.

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