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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-02-04 Daily Xml
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Public Housing Tenants

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (14:28): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Human Services regarding public housing tenants.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: On 13 January, 10 News reported the story of Karen and her son, Sean, who are public housing tenants. Sean is living with a disability, and the family said they were at breaking point because their home is not disability accessible and they had to wait 16 months for another home to be modified. Due to the wait for modifications, two homes were used for the family. This prevented another needy family from being housed. Once the new home was allegedly ready, it turned out that second-hand equipment had been used, makeshift ramps were installed and doors had been hung backwards in the bathroom. As 10 News reported:

Human services minister Michelle Lensink said in a statement that work is being done to get Karen and her family into the new home in the coming weeks.

My questions to the minister are:

1. Are Sean and Karen now in their new home?

2. Why did it take 16 months to modify a home?

3. How many other public housing families are currently allocated two properties at once because critical modifications are delayed for a year and half?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:29): My recollection of this particular case is that indeed the modifications were about to be rectified.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: When?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Were about to be rectified.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: When?

The PRESIDENT: The Leader of the Opposition needs to be quiet. The minister has the call.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: It was a matter of being weeks away from being rectified, and I stand by that particular statement. In terms of how many other families are using two properties, I will need to see whether we have any information on that, and the reason for the delay I will also look into, but I think it is also worth reminding the council that, particularly due to COVID, there have been delays in supplies for particular items. That may have been the case in this case, but I will see whether we have any more information on that.

The PRESIDENT: The deputy leader, a supplementary.

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