Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have a number of questions to the minister. I will ask her those questions now in one lot given the time that is before us. The authors of the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program’s—SIHIP’s—post-review report warn of waste and inefficiencies in having to perform rework on renovated houses. Why has the government deliberately decided not to fully complete each house renovation at the first attempt while tenants are moved out? My second and related question is: as SIHIP is performing essentially urgent maintenance to make houses safe and functional, are these houses being classified as renovated on the reports even though they do not meet the minimum public housing standards? The third part of my question is: how many houses that have had work performed through SIHIP meet the minimum standard? Finally, on 17 March 2010 the minister put out a media release claiming that SIHIP was on track to deliver the promised housing outcomes. Was the minister aware that that very day one of the three alliance partners had its contract cancelled for allegedly failing to meet budget and time targets and, if not, why not? And I spoke too soon—this is my final question: the COAG Remote Indigenous Housing Agreement is designed to address overcrowding in remote communities. The New South Wales government has to date purchased, not built, new houses; it purchased four existing houses under the program. How is this addressing overcrowding in New South Wales remote communities?

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