Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Senator Evans. Details released in the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program report reveal that the total budget—either allocated for the first three packages or already spent—equals $182.54 million, or 28 per cent of the total program work budget. Given the contracts let to date will deliver only around seven per cent of the required houses and 1.5 per cent of the rebuilds, will the government now concede that their promise of 750 houses and some 2,730 refurbishments and rebuilds cannot be delivered through the existing Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program budget?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Scullion for the question. I suppose the first thing to say is: leave the maths to the mathematicians. I read your release and it does not add up, so your criticisms are not right. You made some mistakes in your assumptions and, therefore, your conclusions are wrong as well. I am happy to take you through those. But I am informed by Ms Macklin that the maths is wrong because some of the assumptions are wrong. So let me take you through some of that. I understand your calculations assume—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

The Speaker:

Order! It is Senator Scullion’s question; he is entitled to hear the answer.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand in Senator Scullion’s release he assumes that all of the $45 million spent under the SIHIP—

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, it’s a question.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz, I am trying to do my best to answer his question. If you would belt up I will have a go at it.

The Speaker:

Order! Interjections are disorderly. Ignore them, Senator Evans.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The calculations attached to Senator Scullion’s press release assume that all of the $45 million spent under SIHIP up to 30 June 2009 was on program management costs. But, as the review clearly showed, less than $18 million of that expenditure at that time was for program management. It also appears that you have not appreciated that the $128 million allocated for the first three packages on the Tiwi Islands, Groote Eylandt and Tennant Creek will be spent on improving essential services infrastructure, delivering power, water, sewerage and roads. Finally, I am advised that the press release of Senator Scullion states that there will be 37 refurbishments and upgrades provided under the first three packages; however, there will actually be 308 rebuilds and refurbishments in the first three packages. (Time expired)

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for that information and will be checking that. The original Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program budget allocated $350,000 per house. The first houses funded for Groote Eylandt and the Tiwi Islands are alleged to have cost around $560,000, and the revised budget provided by the government for all future houses is $450,000. Given the budget blowouts, how can the government continue to claim all promises can be met within existing allocations?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The simple answer to the question is that the minister, Ms Macklin, has made it very clear that the commitments will be honoured—the commitments to building 750 new houses and performing 230 rebuilds and 2,500 refurbishments by 2013 will be met. That is the answer—that she will meet those requirements. I am sure at the up and coming estimates we will be able to take you through all the detail about the expenditure and the cost of houses et cetera. I suspect we will spend quite a bit of time on it, and I look forward to that. But the key response to you is to make it very clear that Ms Macklin and the government will deliver on the commitment made in relation to the number of houses, the number of rebuilds and the number of refurbishments. The government is committed to delivering on those assurances.

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given the minister’s confirmation that 750 houses will in fact be built and given that the government have invested some $45 million in what would have to be the largest consultation of all time, will the minister now provide a list of how many houses will be built community by community?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If I am able to help Senator Scullion with a list of the number of buildings per community I will, but I will have to take it on notice. I do not know whether that is available—if it is, I certainly do not have a copy of it with me. But I am certainly happy to take that on notice and provide what information I can.