Mr. Logan questions the Housing Minister about the Department of Housing renting apartments from Liberal Party donors at high rates while government-owned apartments remain vacant. The Minister denies involvement in leasing decisions and states he became aware of the owners through the media, refusing to intervene in existing commercial leases.

AnsweredQoN 827Legislative Assembly
Asked
21 October 2014
Portfolio
Housing

QuestionView source ↗

PELAGO
APARTMENT COMPLEX — DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING
827. Mr F.M. LOGAN to the Minister for
Housing:
I refer to the apartments in Pelago West that the Department of Housing
rents from private owners at significantly high rates while government-owned
apartments stay empty.
(1) When was the minister first made aware
that the 11 units were owned by large Liberal Party donors?
(2) Has anything been done to renegotiate the
lease contracts for apartments owned by large Liberal Party donors so that the
tenants can move into apartments owned by the state?

AnswerView source ↗

(1)–(2) I thank the member for
Cockburn for the question. I do not get involved in who owns property that the
department leases. It is totally inappropriate for the Minister for Housing to —
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
Mr W.R. MARMION : Government Regional Officers'
Housing leases probably thousands of houses throughout the state.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr W.R. MARMION : Mr Speaker, I am trying to speak.
One area that the minister is involved in is signing off on every sale
or loan facility through Keystart, so I get to sign quite a lot of transactions
already, but I do not get involved in leasing every single apartment.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn!
Mr W.R. MARMION : Does the member for Cockburn want an answer
to his question? The member asked a specific question. The member's
first question was: when was I made aware? I was made aware of who the owners
were when I read the paper. What was the member's second question?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the first time.
Minister, through the Chair.
Mr W.R. MARMION : The member's second question was
whether I was going to intervene in the leases that have been signed in a
commercial transaction—no.

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