Page 415 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 10 February 2021
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alone; we need to work with business and the community sector to identify solutions to this challenging issue. The ACT government recognises the important role of community housing providers in delivering this vision. They are able to bridge the gap between private rental and social and public housing. Their organisational arrangements enable them to look at different tenancy options and deliver different housing solutions to the market that can be more responsive to community needs, and more affordable.
This is why the parliamentary and governing agreement has an affordable rental target of an additional 600 dwellings by 2025-26. We understand that this is an ambitious target and it will take collaboration with community housing providers and others to develop a range of identified and new ways to ensure that we deliver on this commitment. While we have many ideas already, I know that there will be new initiatives for us to explore with our partners. I look forward to ongoing conversation about how the community sector can assist us in reaching our ambitious goals to deliver more affordable housing.
Today my colleague Minister Berry, the Minister for Housing and Suburban Development, delivered the year 2 report card of the ACT Housing Strategy. Goal 4 of the strategy outlines the actions the government is taking to grow and develop the community housing sector. There are commitments to continue to work with community sector providers around the development of affordable housing, shared equity schemes and an expanded land rent scheme.
I also welcome the 2020-21 budget commitment to expand the community housing land tax exemption to a further 250 properties. This targets land tax relief specifically to those who will provide affordable housing rentals, rather than granting tax relief to private investors, which would likely have a knock-on effect and further drive up the purchase price of houses and apartments.
We know that one of the most significant issues for low-income households struggling to pay rental costs is the low level of income support. We have heard many stories of the dramatic positive impact there was while the COVID supplement was in place. Canberrans on JobSeeker were lifted out of poverty; they could afford to eat at every mealtime and could afford to pay for their medication. I implore those opposite to advocate to their federal counterparts to immediately and permanently increase the rate of the JobSeeker payment.
In addition to this, the national housing policy settings are already geared towards property investors and yet we have ongoing issues with an affordable housing supply. We need to look more closely at models that address issues for renters, rather than expanding the financial benefits for investors who are already well catered for—such as capital gains tax discounts—which have caused huge inflation in house prices throughout Canberra and the rest of the country.
The federal government program that does help community housing providers nationally, the National Rental Affordability Scheme, which is due to end, with no indication of continuation, is key. I hope that those opposite will advocate for this to continue.
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