Page 3685 - Week 12 - Thursday, 25 November 2021
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The government’s fix for all of this is a major renewal program, which is great for existing public housing tenants—and I certainly do not deny them this—but it is harder to see what the budget will do right now to address the crisis that is highlighted by ACTCOSS, highlighted by the Canberra Liberals and highlighted by Jon Stanhope.
I suspect that it is a crisis of mounting urgency. Perhaps it is the case that, with the raft of learned reports, plans, focus group outcomes and action summaries done by this government, there is actually a light shining at the end of the tunnel. We would hope that is the case, but I cannot see it.
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) (11.11): Thanks for the opportunity to share some of the important work my portfolio areas within the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate are doing in this financial year. I am proud to highlight some of the government’s critical work in delivering planning and development outcomes to support the continued growth of our city, delivering on a compact and efficient city and enhancing our existing urban areas. I will touch on important initiatives by the ACT Parks and Conservation Service as well.
Throughout 2021, the directorate has been continuing to work on the ACT planning system review and reform project, moving forward with proposed changes to give effect to our reform goals and deliver on previously announced policy directions. Even with the impacts from the pandemic this year, engagement on aspects of work with the community has occurred with adapted approaches.
A key piece of work that has progressed through the year is the development of the new planning act. In 2021 and through 2022 the directorate will continue progressing work on district strategies, which are a new level of spatial and strategic planning for the territory. Stakeholder workshops and online activities on district planning have helped inform key aspects of the district planning approach and the preparation of draft district strategies for the eight urban districts in the ACT.
The government is continuing to implement the Managing Buildings Better reforms under the unit titles legislation. These reforms will make it fairer and easier to live and work together in apartments, townhouses, mixed-use developments and commercial units. Work on stage 2 of the reforms has begun, in collaboration with the Unit Titles Reform Consultative Group.
The government’s indicative land release program is a vital tool in implementing the desired growth and settlement patterns of our city, balancing the supply of land to meet the needs of our growing and changing city. The ACT government continues to work on a forward program of land release to make sure that the program responds to circumstances forecast for the next few years.
This year, the ACT government released a five-year indicative land release program alongside the ACT budget. The residential land release program for the next five years targets the release of more than 16,000 homes to cater for demand for new
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