Page 65 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 8 February 2022
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properties on that block—about what judgements we make during that knockdown-rebuild process.
MS BERRY: Housing ACT identified properties all across the city that, for various reasons, are no longer suitable and no longer meet the needs of Housing ACT tenants. That could be for a range of reasons. It could be that the property is an older property. It could be that the land is big enough to build more dwellings on that site, and it could be part of the renewal program, where tenants need to live in a more suitable property, perhaps for their growing family.
Once those properties are identified, Housing ACT goes through the next stage of talking with tenants about relocating to another home that better suits their needs. That is a significant piece of work and, very importantly, the tenant is put at the front of those conversations to make sure that they can live where they like just like the rest of us, in any part of this city, in a home that best meets their needs, that is sustainable and will keep them happy and able to live a happy life into the future.
Once the tenant has been able to be relocated, the dwelling is fenced up. That can take a number of months, depending on the circumstances, and the site it maintained by Housing ACT while the demolition process is engaged. Of course, demolition contractors are engaged, the demolition occurs, planning and design work happens for a new dwelling and then a development application process, like any development in the ACT, occurs on that particular site.
All of that is not a linear process, of course. There are different time frames along the way, depending on when we can get the tenant into a home that best meets their needs. Building a new home and moving tenants into new homes and then demolishing older homes that no longer meet tenants’ needs—broadly, that is the process that we go through.
MR DAVIS: Thank you, Minister. The reason I asked is that a number of constituents have reached out to me concerned about a vacant block on the corner of Langdon Avenue and Longmore Crescent in Wanniassa, which I understand has been vacant for more than a year, expecting a new housing development. Can you provide an update on that particular site?
Mr Hanson: Madam Speaker, if that is not the biggest preamble I have ever heard—
MADAM SPEAKER: It was a preamble. I am sorry, I was concentrating more on the numbers in the place. I will let it go this time, but this is a supplementary question, Mr Davis. You have been in the Assembly for over 12 months now; you should know the rules of engagement.
MS BERRY: Mr Davis will know that it is not generally the form of the government to discuss individual properties of public housing tenants. I am happy to provide some information outside of the Assembly on that one.
MS CLAY: I have a supplementary—
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