Published Wednesday, 16 July, 2008 at 01:06 PM
Minister for Public Works, Housing and Information and Communication Technology
The Honourable Robert Schwarten
STEVENS IN ‘COMA’ DURING ESTIMATES MEETING: SCHWARTEN
Shadow Housing Minister Ray Stevens was in a coma and did not understand one word said to him during the Estimates hearing yesterday, Housing Minister Robert Schwarten said today.
“Virtually every word of the media release he issued today is factually incorrect,” Mr Schwarten said.
“It is as though he was not at the same estimates meeting at all.
“The only statement in the media release with any truth is that it is “just bizarre” because that’s exactly what Mr Stevens’ media release is.”
Mr Schwarten said he made it very clear to Mr Stevens during the hearing that the so-called tenant who purchased the 1,674 square metre property in Brisbane’s south-west was in fact the Vietnamese community, who had been managing the property on behalf of the department.
“As such it was not an individual tenant and I made that very clear,” he said.
“The property was valued by an independent, professional valuer before being sold. This is the procedure the department undertakes every time it sells a property.
“Also, the government has never loaned $500,000 to any person buying public housing. I ruled that out completely during the hearing.
“Obviously the burden of the amalgamation between the Liberals and Nationals, which is the equivalent of marrying a donkey to a clown, is just too much for him and its time for him to move on,” Mr Schwarten said.
“I have had some shockers as shadow spokesperson in the last 11 estimates hearing but I have never had one that could not comprehend the spoken word before.”
Media contact: (07) 3237 1832
“Virtually every word of the media release he issued today is factually incorrect,” Mr Schwarten said.
“It is as though he was not at the same estimates meeting at all.
“The only statement in the media release with any truth is that it is “just bizarre” because that’s exactly what Mr Stevens’ media release is.”
Mr Schwarten said he made it very clear to Mr Stevens during the hearing that the so-called tenant who purchased the 1,674 square metre property in Brisbane’s south-west was in fact the Vietnamese community, who had been managing the property on behalf of the department.
“As such it was not an individual tenant and I made that very clear,” he said.
“The property was valued by an independent, professional valuer before being sold. This is the procedure the department undertakes every time it sells a property.
“Also, the government has never loaned $500,000 to any person buying public housing. I ruled that out completely during the hearing.
“Obviously the burden of the amalgamation between the Liberals and Nationals, which is the equivalent of marrying a donkey to a clown, is just too much for him and its time for him to move on,” Mr Schwarten said.
“I have had some shockers as shadow spokesperson in the last 11 estimates hearing but I have never had one that could not comprehend the spoken word before.”
Media contact: (07) 3237 1832