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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 9 Hansard (28 August) . . Page.. 2671 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

The amount of public housing available in the ACT in the longer term has not yet been determined, and it will depend on the extent to which tenants choose public over private housing options. Those are things that will pan out once this new agreement is in place. It will not be in place until the second half of next year. This motion, if passed as it is, would seek to bind this Assembly after the new Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement is signed. I think that would be a step fraught with danger and something that this Assembly should avoid doing.

The second part of the motion deals with the mix of housing types and sizes. I would certainly hope that Ms Reilly does not mean, as the motion appears to read, that we should always have the same mix of housing as we have at present, because that is very inappropriate for what the clients want, for what the clients need and for the demography of Canberra. It is ACT Housing's policy to continue to provide public housing right across the city in all but a few of the more expensive suburbs, and it is our policy to avoid concentration of low-income tenants. ACT Housing is in the process of adjusting its stock holdings in a number of ways. The upgrading, sale and purchase of public housing stock will continue this financial year, with the emphasis on making the best use of resources to meet the needs of ACT Housing customers. On average, public housing comprises 11 per cent of ACT dwelling units, but this currently varies from around 32 per cent of the stock in Ainslie and 46 per cent in Braddon to 0 per cent in O'Malley - one of the few suburbs without public housing - and 2 per cent in Campbell. One of ACT Housing's objectives is to have a reasonable spread of public housing stock right across the majority of ACT suburbs. At the moment the stock is also concentrated in pockets - for example, whole streets of some suburbs and concentrations in some flat complexes.

Our current mix also reflects historical circumstances rather than the needs of current ACT public tenants and applicants for assistance. ACT Housing has a relative surplus of three-bedroom houses and an undersupply of one- and two-bedroom units, particularly those suitable for aged people or people with disabilities.

Mr Whitecross: What is a relative surplus? There are still 4,000 on the waiting list.

MR STEFANIAK: It is a lot less than when you lot were in. ACT Housing also needs to be able to meet the changing needs of its tenants over their lifetime.

Mr Whitecross: "Relative surplus" means that the waiting list is a shorter list, does it?

MR STEFANIAK: Perhaps if you listen, you might learn something, Mr Whitecross. For example, in North Canberra 26 per cent of our stock is suitable for single people, but 58 per cent of current tenants and applicants are in this category. All over the ACT 50 per cent of our stock is in the three-bedroom category. I think blind Freddy could tell you that that needs to change. In paragraph (2) Ms Reilly wants the mix of housing basically to remain the same. I think it would be totally inappropriate if 50 per cent of our total stock was three-bedroom stock.

Mr Whitecross: She did not say that, though, did she?

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