Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

If I can just turn then to some of the other issues that are in another part of the minister’s portfolio, the area of Indigenous affairs, the minister would be aware that one of the issues that we have been concerned about is the underspending last year—this came up in the budget papers—of $60 million of unspent funds in the CHIP, the Community Housing and Infrastructure Program, for Aboriginal people. We understand from Senate estimates that the issue is now with the department of finance. I would like to know whether the minister has now received permission to roll over this funding into this year so that this money can be urgently applied where it is needed, and that is in building homes for Aboriginal people where they live in overcrowded circumstances.

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