Page 3431 - Week 10 - Thursday, 20 October 2022
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MS ORR: I have a supplementary question. Chief Minister, what does the government hope to achieve through the prospectus?
MR BARR: We aim to improve the rental market by delivering a large number of additional rental properties and more housing options for Canberra residents. Build to rent was identified in the ACT housing strategy as a mechanism to improve rental supply and affordability, and to provide more housing alternatives with long-term security for tenants.
There are currently around 50,000 homes rented in the territory. We are aiming to add at least 5,000 rental dwellings through the build-to-rent programs, and to increase the rental vacancy about the current historic lows. To achieve this, the prospectus is aiming to attract 10 to 20 large-scale investors who are going to hold, in a build-to-rent format, rental properties for 20 years and give tenants long-term leases.
MR PETTERSSON: Chief Minister, how does build to rent fit within the ACT housing affordability policy and targets?
MR BARR: By bringing build to rent to the ACT the government is looking to increase the number of private rental properties, increase housing choice and diversity for renters, with homes that are specifically built to meet the needs of renters and to offer opportunities for long-term tenure arrangements so that tenants can establish themselves as part of a community and personalise their homes.
The build-to-rent model offers quality homes that are designed to meet the needs of renters, offering a great place to live, longer rental periods, and greater security. Over the next five years the ACT government is endeavouring to add more than 30,000 dwellings to our total housing stock, and this includes a significant injection of build-to-rent projects. In doing so we aim to increase our rental vacancy rate.
Emergency services—workers compensation
MR MILLIGAN: My question is to the Acting Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, I recently met with a constituent who has been suffering with PTSD that arose from services to the community in his role within the Emergency Services, and yet had to wait unreasonably long to have his claim approved. In 2019, the government moved to self-insure its workforce and partnered with a new claims manager. Minister, what has the government done to ensure the new claims manager is being held accountable for the time frames in which the claims are being processed?
MR STEEL: I will take the detail and that question on notice. I am not aware of that particular individual Mr Milligan referred to. I am sorry to hear about their circumstances. I am happy to provide some answers on notice in relation to Mr Milligan’s specific question.
MR MILLIGAN: Minister Steel, what is the average time for a PTSD claim to be processed by the current claims manager from when they are submitted?
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