Page 161 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 9 February 2022
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those values are kept into the future. These are long-term studies. Many of them are already recorded, but we continue to do this work.
Suburban Land Agency—sales
MR HANSON: My question is to the Minister for Housing and Suburban Development. Minister, according to sales data in the ACT land and property reports, in the last two financial years the Suburban Land Agency sold only 62 per cent of its targeted number of single residential blocks. Minister, what steps are you taking to improve your performance in the delivery of single residential blocks?
MS BERRY: I thank Mr Hanson for his question about blocks being sold by the government’s Suburban Land Agency in the ACT. I remind Assembly members that over the last two years COVID has had a significant impact on the sale and development of land in the ACT. However, the Suburban Land Agency had more land available for purchase than it had had in a decade at the end of 2019 and 2020. Land for 400 dwellings was available over the counter. Those blocks sold very quickly, which was the opposite of what we thought would occur, given the situation that we faced with regard to the health pandemic. The Suburban Land Agency is continuing to develop land at the pace that it has done in the past, and will continue to make land available for purchase for Canberrans and other people who want to live in this beautiful city.
MR HANSON: Minister, we are over halfway through the financial year. Can you advise how many of the current financial year target of 631 single residential blocks have been listed for sale or sold? Are you including private sector and joint venture sales in those figures?
MS BERRY: I will take that question on notice. There is quite a lot of detail required there.
MR PARTON: Minister, are there any other delays in the delivery of blocks for sale for this financial year? If so, what are the reasons for these delays?
MS BERRY: I am not aware of any delays. However, as I said, COVID has impacted land development, as well as building work, across the country. As I said, I am not aware of any delays at this stage. Land is being developed ready for sale at the same rate as previously.
Housing—strategy
MR PARTON: My question is to the Minister for Housing and Suburban Development. Minister, yesterday the government rejected a motion calling for an urgent review of your housing strategy and for community housing providers to have a greater role in addressing the shortfalls. These calls reflect the deep concerns expressed by major community groups such as ACTCOSS and ACT Shelter over the housing crisis and also calls made by the Canberra Liberals on this issue. ACTCOSS and ACT Shelter welcomed these calls in media releases. Minister, why does this
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