❓ Question regarding the involvement of the member for Riverton in a Homeswest visit to Newman, given the Minister for Housing's existing representation in the region. The Minister's response details a review of housing commitments and justification for involving the member for Riverton due to their experience with the Aboriginal community.
AnsweredQoN 20Legislative Council
Asked
2 May 2001
Member
QuestionView source ↗
As the minister is aware, the member for Riverton, accompanied by a Homeswest official, recently visited Newman. What were the terms of reference pertaining to that visit, and why was the member for Riverton involved in an inquiry - if that was the purpose of the visit to Newman - when the Minister for Housing represents that region in Parliament and has occupied an office in that town for some time? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
I have taken the opportunity in the very early part of my responsibility for the housing portfolio to review a commitment made by the previous Government to undertake housing construction on the edge of the township of Newman known as Pumajina. I was well aware of the previous effort of a Labor Government to respond to this housing need 10 years ago and wanted to familiarise myself with the latest situation. I read the briefing papers and the decision of the previous Government. However, I found that funds were not available to meet the commitments made by that Government. I visited the Pumajina reserve in the evening, and as the sun was coming up and people were waking up I spoke to everybody on site and had breakfast there. I wanted to understand what the people require. It was an unusual experience for them to have the Minister for Housing wanting to talk to them about their needs. I also visited the Capricorn Road House. I wanted to make sure that I was able to speak directly with the people whose housing needs had been drawn to my attention. All of the housing in that location advocated by various parties has been demolished. As the new Minister for Housing, I am being asked to deliver on a pre-election commitment of the previous Government to replace all the housing that was built by the previous Labor Government. I must make sure that our response this time is appropriate to the needs of the community. There are so many needs. The community is poorly funded under the present arrangements. The Aboriginal community of this State has desperate housing needs. We can ill afford to implement programs in locations such as that, which are not appropriately structured. The member for Riverton is a former resident of Newman, and I value his skills and experience in dealing with the interests of the Aboriginal community there and throughout the State. The PRESIDENT: I ask the minister to conclude his response. Hon TOM STEPHENS: I will be drawing on his assistance to obtain a combined approach by all government agencies to respond to the needs in that locality and more widely in the area. I do not want to focus in a piecemeal way on the housing needs of that locality.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I have taken the opportunity in the very early part of my responsibility for the housing portfolio to review a commitment made by the previous Government to undertake housing construction on the edge of the township of Newman known as Pumajina. I was well aware of the previous effort of a Labor Government to respond to this housing need 10 years ago and wanted to familiarise myself with the latest situation. I read the briefing papers and the decision of the previous Government. However, I found that funds were not available to meet the commitments made by that Government. I visited the Pumajina reserve in the evening, and as the sun was coming up and people were waking up I spoke to everybody on site and had breakfast there. I wanted to understand what the people require. It was an unusual experience for them to have the Minister for Housing wanting to talk to them about their needs. I also visited the Capricorn Road House. I wanted to make sure that I was able to speak directly with the people whose housing needs had been drawn to my attention. All of the housing in that location advocated by various parties has been demolished. As the new Minister for Housing, I am being asked to deliver on a pre-election commitment of the previous Government to replace all the housing that was built by the previous Labor Government. I must make sure that our response this time is appropriate to the needs of the community. There are so many needs. The community is poorly funded under the present arrangements. The Aboriginal community of this State has desperate housing needs. We can ill afford to implement programs in locations such as that, which are not appropriately structured. The member for Riverton is a former resident of Newman, and I value his skills and experience in dealing with the interests of the Aboriginal community there and throughout the State. The PRESIDENT: I ask the minister to conclude his response. Hon TOM STEPHENS: I will be drawing on his assistance to obtain a combined approach by all government agencies to respond to the needs in that locality and more widely in the area. I do not want to focus in a piecemeal way on the housing needs of that locality.
I have taken the opportunity in the very early part of my responsibility for the housing portfolio to review a commitment made by the previous Government to undertake housing construction on the edge of the township of Newman known as Pumajina. I was well aware of the previous effort of a Labor Government to respond to this housing need 10 years ago and wanted to familiarise myself with the latest situation. I read the briefing papers and the decision of the previous Government. However, I found that funds were not available to meet the commitments made by that Government. I visited the Pumajina reserve in the evening, and as the sun was coming up and people were waking up I spoke to everybody on site and had breakfast there. I wanted to understand what the people require. It was an unusual experience for them to have the Minister for Housing wanting to talk to them about their needs. I also visited the Capricorn Road House. I wanted to make sure that I was able to speak directly with the people whose housing needs had been drawn to my attention. All of the housing in that location advocated by various parties has been demolished. As the new Minister for Housing, I am being asked to deliver on a pre-election commitment of the previous Government to replace all the housing that was built by the previous Labor Government. I must make sure that our response this time is appropriate to the needs of the community. There are so many needs. The community is poorly funded under the present arrangements. The Aboriginal community of this State has desperate housing needs. We can ill afford to implement programs in locations such as that, which are not appropriately structured. The member for Riverton is a former resident of Newman, and I value his skills and experience in dealing with the interests of the Aboriginal community there and throughout the State. The PRESIDENT: I ask the minister to conclude his response. Hon TOM STEPHENS: I will be drawing on his assistance to obtain a combined approach by all government agencies to respond to the needs in that locality and more widely in the area. I do not want to focus in a piecemeal way on the housing needs of that locality.
I visited the Pumajina reserve in the evening, and as the sun was coming up and people were waking up I spoke to everybody on site and had breakfast there. I wanted to understand what the people require. It was an unusual experience for them to have the Minister for Housing wanting to talk to them about their needs. I also visited the Capricorn Road House. I wanted to make sure that I was able to speak directly with the people whose housing needs had been drawn to my attention. All of the housing in that location advocated by various parties has been demolished. As the new Minister for Housing, I am being asked to deliver on a pre-election commitment of the previous Government to replace all the housing that was built by the previous Labor Government. I must make sure that our response this time is appropriate to the needs of the community. There are so many needs. The community is poorly funded under the present arrangements. The Aboriginal community of this State has desperate housing needs. We can ill afford to implement programs in locations such as that, which are not appropriately structured. The member for Riverton is a former resident of Newman, and I value his skills and experience in dealing with the interests of the Aboriginal community there and throughout the State. The PRESIDENT: I ask the minister to conclude his response. Hon TOM STEPHENS: I will be drawing on his assistance to obtain a combined approach by all government agencies to respond to the needs in that locality and more widely in the area. I do not want to focus in a piecemeal way on the housing needs of that locality.
The PRESIDENT: I ask the minister to conclude his response. Hon TOM STEPHENS: I will be drawing on his assistance to obtain a combined approach by all government agencies to respond to the needs in that locality and more widely in the area. I do not want to focus in a piecemeal way on the housing needs of that locality.
Hon TOM STEPHENS: I will be drawing on his assistance to obtain a combined approach by all government agencies to respond to the needs in that locality and more widely in the area. I do not want to focus in a piecemeal way on the housing needs of that locality.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I have taken the opportunity in the very early part of my responsibility for the housing portfolio to review a commitment made by the previous Government to undertake housing construction on the edge of the township of Newman known as Pumajina. I was well aware of the previous effort of a Labor Government to respond to this housing need 10 years ago and wanted to familiarise myself with the latest situation. I read the briefing papers and the decision of the previous Government. However, I found that funds were not available to meet the commitments made by that Government. I visited the Pumajina reserve in the evening, and as the sun was coming up and people were waking up I spoke to everybody on site and had breakfast there. I wanted to understand what the people require. It was an unusual experience for them to have the Minister for Housing wanting to talk to them about their needs. I also visited the Capricorn Road House. I wanted to make sure that I was able to speak directly with the people whose housing needs had been drawn to my attention. All of the housing in that location advocated by various parties has been demolished. As the new Minister for Housing, I am being asked to deliver on a pre-election commitment of the previous Government to replace all the housing that was built by the previous Labor Government. I must make sure that our response this time is appropriate to the needs of the community. There are so many needs. The community is poorly funded under the present arrangements. The Aboriginal community of this State has desperate housing needs. We can ill afford to implement programs in locations such as that, which are not appropriately structured. The member for Riverton is a former resident of Newman, and I value his skills and experience in dealing with the interests of the Aboriginal community there and throughout the State. The PRESIDENT: I ask the minister to conclude his response. Hon TOM STEPHENS: I will be drawing on his assistance to obtain a combined approach by all government agencies to respond to the needs in that locality and more widely in the area. I do not want to focus in a piecemeal way on the housing needs of that locality.
I have taken the opportunity in the very early part of my responsibility for the housing portfolio to review a commitment made by the previous Government to undertake housing construction on the edge of the township of Newman known as Pumajina. I was well aware of the previous effort of a Labor Government to respond to this housing need 10 years ago and wanted to familiarise myself with the latest situation. I read the briefing papers and the decision of the previous Government. However, I found that funds were not available to meet the commitments made by that Government. I visited the Pumajina reserve in the evening, and as the sun was coming up and people were waking up I spoke to everybody on site and had breakfast there. I wanted to understand what the people require. It was an unusual experience for them to have the Minister for Housing wanting to talk to them about their needs. I also visited the Capricorn Road House. I wanted to make sure that I was able to speak directly with the people whose housing needs had been drawn to my attention. All of the housing in that location advocated by various parties has been demolished. As the new Minister for Housing, I am being asked to deliver on a pre-election commitment of the previous Government to replace all the housing that was built by the previous Labor Government. I must make sure that our response this time is appropriate to the needs of the community. There are so many needs. The community is poorly funded under the present arrangements. The Aboriginal community of this State has desperate housing needs. We can ill afford to implement programs in locations such as that, which are not appropriately structured. The member for Riverton is a former resident of Newman, and I value his skills and experience in dealing with the interests of the Aboriginal community there and throughout the State. The PRESIDENT: I ask the minister to conclude his response. Hon TOM STEPHENS: I will be drawing on his assistance to obtain a combined approach by all government agencies to respond to the needs in that locality and more widely in the area. I do not want to focus in a piecemeal way on the housing needs of that locality.
I visited the Pumajina reserve in the evening, and as the sun was coming up and people were waking up I spoke to everybody on site and had breakfast there. I wanted to understand what the people require. It was an unusual experience for them to have the Minister for Housing wanting to talk to them about their needs. I also visited the Capricorn Road House. I wanted to make sure that I was able to speak directly with the people whose housing needs had been drawn to my attention. All of the housing in that location advocated by various parties has been demolished. As the new Minister for Housing, I am being asked to deliver on a pre-election commitment of the previous Government to replace all the housing that was built by the previous Labor Government. I must make sure that our response this time is appropriate to the needs of the community. There are so many needs. The community is poorly funded under the present arrangements. The Aboriginal community of this State has desperate housing needs. We can ill afford to implement programs in locations such as that, which are not appropriately structured. The member for Riverton is a former resident of Newman, and I value his skills and experience in dealing with the interests of the Aboriginal community there and throughout the State. The PRESIDENT: I ask the minister to conclude his response. Hon TOM STEPHENS: I will be drawing on his assistance to obtain a combined approach by all government agencies to respond to the needs in that locality and more widely in the area. I do not want to focus in a piecemeal way on the housing needs of that locality.
The PRESIDENT: I ask the minister to conclude his response. Hon TOM STEPHENS: I will be drawing on his assistance to obtain a combined approach by all government agencies to respond to the needs in that locality and more widely in the area. I do not want to focus in a piecemeal way on the housing needs of that locality.
Hon TOM STEPHENS: I will be drawing on his assistance to obtain a combined approach by all government agencies to respond to the needs in that locality and more widely in the area. I do not want to focus in a piecemeal way on the housing needs of that locality.
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