Page 1570 - Week 06 - Thursday, 3 May 1990
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I am pleased to announce that the ACT will become a full party to the Commonwealth-State housing agreement this year. This has been made possible by self-government. Once the negotiations for the new agreement are finalised, we will be introducing legislation to amend the ACT Housing Assistance Act to make it consistent with the new agreement.
Mr Speaker, this legislation before us today simply puts into effect what I announced last September. Why has it taken this Liberal Alliance Government six months to put into effect the policy which I announced last September? Let me suggest that they are incapable of making decisions and of working hard, as is required of a government.
What will the Commonwealth-State housing agreement mean for the ACT? It means that: all Commonwealth funds will be provided as grants; the ACT Government will need to match the funds to get all of the grants; more money will be directed towards rental housing for those on the lowest incomes; funds for special housing programs will increase; new home ownership policies will have to be put into place; and a joint ACT-Commonwealth housing plan will be announced each year.
But, most importantly for the residents of Housing Trust houses, it will prevent this conservative Government selling off the housing stock, as the Chief Minister threatened to do when he took office. It will also protect residents of the Northbourne Flats and other low income residents from the development plans of the Deputy Chief Minister. Under this agreement, all money raised from the sale of housing stock will have to be returned to the housing budget, thus preventing this conservative Government using the sale of housing stock as a revenue measure.
Mr Speaker, this Bill gives me the opportunity to reflect on the Minister's failure to take action in the housing area during his six months in government. Let me briefly outline for you some of the initiatives taken during the seven months of the Follett Labor Government.
Upon obtaining office I announced a review of the housing policy and promised that it would bring about real change. Let me reflect upon some of those initiatives that were introduced. We agreed to introduce a private sector rental housing trust, which this Government has not pursued. We introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. We introduced a mortgage relief scheme. We agreed to the introduction of a rental bond trust and a fidelity guarantee fund. This Government, because of its conservative Liberal influence, has not proceeded with either of these. We introduced the singles share accommodation scheme, for which Mr Collaery is now trying to take the credit. Of course, there is the redevelopment
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