Page 4441 - Week 14 - Thursday, 9 December 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
SOCIAL POLICY - STANDING COMMITTEE
Report on Aged Accommodation and Support Services -
Government Response
Debate resumed from 25 November 1993, on motion by Ms Follett:
That the Assembly takes note of the papers.
MR CORNWELL (11.18): Madam Speaker, I supported the original report on aged accommodation and support services in the ACT. Whilst I have to say that in general I support the Government's response, I have some reservations about some of the replies they have given to the recommendations, and I will come to those in a minute. However, I still believe that we have not solved a significant part of the problem of aged accommodation and support services. To explain what I mean I would like first to refer to the Chief Minister's tabling statement on the Government's response. She stated, quite properly:
The inquiry focused on the concern that some older Canberrans, who were not eligible for public housing and not able to afford the more expensive private accommodation being developed, had no option but to stay in housing that was either not appropriate or not adequate to meet their needs.
I do not really believe that the Government has addressed this issue in its response, but I have to say, in fairness, that I am not 100 per cent sure that the committee addressed it in the report. The Chief Minister went on in her response to say at page 3:
Appropriate accommodation for the aged is a high priority. We acknowledge that the joint venture approach to providing aged accommodation identified by the Social Policy Committee is an innovative solution which assists in providing accommodation for those who are not eligible for public housing and yet cannot afford to purchase accommodation which is suitable for their needs.
I am pleased that she said "which assists in providing", because it is a qualification. It is certainly not the complete solution to the problem. I believe that the complete solution to the problem will be closer once the market becomes overheated at the top end, when builders might therefore adjust downward in medium density accommodation.
Interestingly enough, this morning's Canberra Times indicated that in the September quarter there has been a 13 per cent drop in house building commencements here in the Territory. Perhaps we are approaching that downward spiral that may induce some builders to look at building cheaper medium density accommodation which will better meet the needs of some of the community. That remains to be seen, however. The only other alternative I could come up with was perhaps the Government's involvement in assisting developers with land packages to again decrease the basic cost of medium density accommodation for elderly people who wish to move out of large houses into something more suited to both their age and their pockets.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .