Page 418 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 10 February 2021

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video

---

Paragraph (2)(c), notes the important role of community housing providers in delivering affordable housing to Canberrans. If you ask anyone in the community housing sector or their advocates, they will tell you very clearly that this government never notes the importance of CHPs. They have to tread very carefully because they are in the game and they are beholden to what goes on from government.

Paragraph (2)(d) notes that the Tenth Assembly parliamentary and governing agreement outlines commitments to support housing affordability in Canberra, including social and affordable rental housing. That is great, but where is the actual action? The height of the crisis is now and I am not seeing it.

In regard to land supply, I was listening to the CoreLogic guy—whatever his name is—on ABC Radio recently and he pointed out that when it comes to apartment rental markets in Sydney and Melbourne we are seeing the complete opposite in market trends than Canberra: vacancy rates are much higher and rents are actually falling. Why is it so? According to the CoreLogic dude, it is because COVID has changed the market. This is what he said. He suggested that most Australians are now of the belief that it is highly likely that at some stage in the future they will be locked down and that maybe an apartment is not such a good idea.

The CoreLogic assessment was that people were drifting back to seeking standalone homes, and I assume this is a national trend. It is a little bit of a worry when you consider that this government has committed to 70 per cent of all new dwellings being urban infill.

As far as the calls-on section goes, I suggest to the minister that it would have been much easier for her to say “calls on the government to deliver more of the same”. Just go with it: “Calls on the ACT government to deliver more rental stress, more homelessness, more pain for those who simply cannot get a firm foothold in the tightest and most expensive rental market in the country.” If you are happy with the current state of play, you go right ahead, but we will not be supporting the amendment. Thank you.

Question put:

That the amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

---

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video