Statement made on 01 April 2009 by Senator Tommy Banks (retired)
Hon. Tommy Banks:
Honourable senators, my supplementary question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate. I am returning to the question of a national policy and to the things that Senator Eggleton referred to as not being included.
The leader talked about the amount of money being spent in the action plan on social housing, for which the government deserves congratulations, and the amount being spent for on-reserve housing, for which the government also deserves commendation. However, the holes that would be plugged by a national housing policy include two things about which I would specifically like to ask.
Can the leader find any references in the action plan to housing other than social housing? By that I mean subsidized public housing that has an aspect of public ownership, which constitutes less than 5 per cent of the housing in the country. Many Aboriginal people in our country who need assistance with respect to decent housing, which is affordable and appropriate to them, do not live on reserves. The vast majority of Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals who need this help are not included in social housing because most of them rent from private landlords.
Can the Leader of the Government in the Senate undertake to tell us where those matters and needs are addressed in the action plan?
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