[Greens-Media] Charity begins at home

[Manderson, Roland]

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ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey MEDIA RELEASE
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11 May 06

Charity begins at home

ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey has argued that the residents of the Narrabundah Long Stay Car Park now face eviction because neither the Government nor Koomarri would accept their responsibilities. 

"When the Koomarri board decided to let go of the park, the most ethical act would have been return it to the ACT Government" Dr Foskey said today.

"Failing that, Koomarri had the option of selling the Park to the motor village next door, which had plans to run it as a going concern, after making some improvements."

"Koomarri clearly put the extra money ahead of the home security of 200 people."

"In arguing Koomarri sold the park 'to the highest bidder, as anyone would sell any asset', Koomarri president John Mackay has shown that the bottom line comes before people." 

 "This caravan park was not just 'any asset'."  

"It is home to 200 people with little or no possibility to set up elsewhere in Canberra, and was given to Koomarri to run by Housing ACT."

"For the Koomarri president to describe it merely as an asset like any other is both insensitive and in my view immoral."

"The ACT Government is probably pleased that Koomarri is facing the heat.  It dodged the issue when it first came up early this year, and resisted my call for it to re-zone the land to ensure it remained a site for secure and affordable housing."

"However, if this whole community is made homeless, the ACT Government has an obligation to house it.  Given the Minister for Planning Mr Corbell has said he's not in a position to set up a new Park, Minister for Housing Mr Hargreaves is going to have to find more houses" Dr Foskey said.


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Roland Manderson   Media Advisor
ACT   Greens    MLA  Deb  Foskey  
Legislative Assembly for the ACT 
ph(02)62050551      m 0412241379
==== www.act.greens.org.au ===== 
  
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