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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-06-19 Daily Xml
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Extreme Weather Response

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 Code Blue.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS: Yesterday in question time the minister said that it was her understanding that the homelessness services, namely the CEO of Uniting Communities, is the key person to determine a Code Blue but that the minister has the ability to override that. My question to the minister is: can the minister also clarify if she has the ability in her own right to call a Code Blue herself or can she only override a decision made by the CEO of Uniting Communities?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (15:06): I thank the honourable member for her question. She may not have detected that at the end of question time I clarified that it's the CE of Uniting Communities in conjunction with the Housing Authority who determines whether a Code Blue will be called. As a said, I can call a Code Blue. I don't think that this should be a political decision. I am not quite sure what the Labor Party thinks they are—oracles of the weather.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Oracles of the weather!

The PRESIDENT: Through me, minister.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: These decisions should not be political decisions. We rely on the advice of the Bureau of Meteorology. We rely on the advice of the specialist homelessness services who have confirmed the criteria and working together with the housing association. That is how these decisions should be made. The Labor Party might want to consider how they look to the homelessness sector when they are questioning their judgement, effectively, and determining that members of parliament should be the arbiters of these decisions.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Pnevmatikos, supplementary.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Minister, Leader of the Opposition, if you want to have a private conversation, have it outside. I would like to hear the Hon. Ms Pnevmatikos' supplementary.

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