Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law) Share this | Hansard source

Firstly, I do not in any way in my responses call into question your support for the expenditure, and I do not question the scrutiny which you are attaching to the discussion at this committee stage. In fact, I welcome it. I think it is important to deal with the social aspects. There is obviously an economic issue, but the social aspects in this area are important. I accept that, depending on the state or territory, there is a pretty mixed record. To varying degrees the priority and focus in this area has not been able to keep up with the demand for social housing around Australia.

I do not know whether you were here yesterday, Senator Ludlam, when I indicated that my wife works in the Tasmanian housing area on the north-west coast of Tasmania. It is not a conflict of interest but I am kept pretty well apprised of the range of difficulties in this area because it is a matter of discussion in our household on very frequent occasions—waiting lists, disability, the size of homes and all measure of social issues. I am personally pretty well apprised of the difficulties.

The other point to make is that, obviously, social housing is delivered by the states. It is not unusual, certainly in Tasmania, for federal members of parliament from the House of Representatives and the Senate to be approached with representations in this area. I am not familiar with whether this occurs in other states, but certainly in Tasmania politicians at a federal level, despite state responsibilities, receive constant representations from individuals on—