Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Scullion, I move:

(1)

That the Senate requests the Auditor-General to undertake an urgent investigation of waste and mismanagement of the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (SIHIP), with regard to:

(a)

whether value for money is being achieved with the construction and renovation of houses, particularly:

(i)

the project management, administration and supervision costs being charged by the Alliance partner for houses renovated by sub-contractors,

(ii)

whether renovated houses are meeting minimum applicable housing standards as stipulated by the Northern Territory Government upon handover,

(iii)

what financial penalties have been applied for any houses that have failed to meet applicable standards or have had defects noted upon handover, and how was any remedial work paid for,

(iv)

how the guaranteed profit margin for Alliance partners is calculated and does this represent value for money for taxpayers, and

(v)

the comparison of actual construction costs of new and renovated houses through SIHIP compared with industry standard costs;

(b)

whether the Commonwealth Government is exercising sufficient supervision of the Northern Territory Government over the administration and implementation of SIHIP in order to prevent mismanagement and minimise waste;

(c)

the adequacy of tenancy arrangements and mechanisms in place for the Northern Territory Government to manage public housing stocks under SIHIP; and

(d)

any other examples of waste and mismanagement by either the Commonwealth or the Northern Territory governments in relation to this program that the Auditor-General deems relevant.

(2)

That the Auditor-General is requested to respond in a timely manner in order for the public to be fully informed of the program in advance of further parliamentary scrutiny of the issue.

Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—The government opposes this motion. We recognise that Senator Scullion’s motion has the support of the coalition and the Greens, and maybe others. We will not be calling a division.

Question agreed to.