Page 1675 - Week 08 - Thursday, 28 September 1989
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Mr Speaker, I come to housing. I wish to raise a couple of points here. Indeed, I wish to finish in relation to one particular initiative the Government has taken. Firstly, I note the Government is attempting to redress the problem of youth homelessness, and that is indeed a very serious problem, identified as such nationally and certainly in the Territory, and one that, through my dealings in the courts and work in the courts, I am quite familiar with in terms of seeing some of the unfortunate end results of youth homelessness and youth who do not have a stable family support system.
I am concerned that the Government may be going about this the wrong way. There are a number of schemes in Canberra whereby homeless youth can live in a situation where there is effectively a houseparent to tender to their needs. I am a little bit concerned at an emphasis being put on enabling 16- and 17-year-olds to be put into accommodation with their peer group without a guiding hand and the guiding assistance which they so desperately need, because if 15- or 16-year-olds have to leave home they need support, and they need mature and helpful support.
I see that there is some provision made for that, but I would indicate to the Government that that is a preferable way to go, where there is a responsible guiding hand there to help disadvantaged youth. Perhaps putting a group of disadvantaged youths together in a house by themselves, without any guidance and assistance could be fraught with danger. Indeed, I have seen some rather tragic after-effects of that in the past.
It is very pleasing to see that, after having nothing about private housing, after having nothing in relation to assisting first home buyers, this Government has finally taken notice of Liberal Party policy which we have had since before the election and indeed which we announced and which is still a motion, I believe, before this Assembly. That is the abolition of stamp duties for first home buyers. It is good to see the Government has taken a step there. It is certainly about time. They appear to have done a bit of a plagiarism on Liberal Party policy there.
Unfortunately, there are still a few problems. They have not quite got it right yet. I note that first home owners will not have to pay stamp duty on homes up to $90,000, and I believe there will be a means test for homes between $90,000 and $107,000. That will cover most first home buyers. I would think the figure of up to $90,000 probably covers at least 50 per cent and possibly higher. If you take the sum up to $107,000, that will probably cover 80 or 90 per cent of first home buyers.
However, the Government proposes to administer that scheme and set up a rental bond trust, set up a fidelity guarantee fund administered by the Government, and put it into an ACT trust fund. I note on page 7 of the housing review, which goes into more detail than the actual budget papers do on
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