Page 3609 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 24 November 2021
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age in place frees up established housing for younger Canberrans. We understand that individuals and families do not have static needs, so what is appropriate when you are raising a young family might not be with you as you get a little bit older and perhaps become an empty nester.
I have also listened to young people who have told me, through consultation on the statement of planning intent—which was for young people—that they really want to have a valued lifestyle. They want to have the opportunity to live somewhere that is close to where they want to shop, or close to public transport and close to their friends.
Younger Canberrans have told us that they do not want Canberra to have urban sprawl and congestion problems that plague other cities. Canberra is still a relatively young city, and we still have the opportunity to make sure that we prioritise density rather than endlessly building outwards. We have very clearly seen and heard that the one-size-fits-all approach is no longer appropriate for our growing and changing city.
MS ORR: Minister, how does the ACT government’s land release program, which is guided by the planning, accord with recent commentary from experts regarding land supply?
MR GENTLEMAN: I am very aware of recent commentary on land supply and the housing market, and I want to be very clear that the ACT government is committed to using the levers that we control to help younger people to get into the housing market.
In the planning system this includes releasing dwellings that will cater for more than double our projected population growth. As I outlined yesterday, the ACT government is releasing enough housing for 41,000 Canberrans, where forecast population growth is only 17,500 across that period. We also reasonably expect the private sector to contribute dwellings of an additional 18,000 for Canberrans at this time. This is through a mixture of rezoning and lease variations in areas identified for increased density in brown field areas.
But land supply is only one issue affecting housing affordability. As we heard from the Reserve Bank of Australia, and as I outlined yesterday, the main issues are in the tax and transfer system. So the ACT government continues to monitor trends in Canberra’s housing market, and we are certainly committed to continue to release land in excess of forecast population demand to ensure there are no supply constraints affecting the current market.
Mr Barr: Further questions can be placed on the notice paper.
Supplementary answers to questions without notice
ACT Corrective Services—detainee transfers
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Manager of Government Business, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Industrial Relations and Workplace Safety, Minister for Planning and Land Management and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (3.00): To add to my answers to Mrs Kikkert and Mr Hanson and for some
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