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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 4 Hansard (30 March) . . Page.. 1080 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

being introduced by each State and Territory to implement and administer the scheme. Indeed, Mr Speaker, all state and territory jurisdictions cooperated in the development and drafting of a generic First Home Owner Grant Bill which provided the basis for the final Bills being introduced by the various state and territory governments. While each jurisdiction has modified this generic Bill to reflect local administrative practices, the core elements of the Bill - the eligibility criteria and entitlements - are uniform across all jurisdictions. I remind members, Mr Corbell in particular, that that means that in Labor States these provisions will be applied from 1 July to contracts signed on or after 1 July 2000.

Mr Quinlan: I suggest that you incorporate your speech in Hansard, as agreed.

MR HUMPHRIES: I am going to incorporate some later speeches in Hansard.

Mr Berry: No, not anymore you are not. You are going to read them all. You cannot be picky and choosy, old son. The deal was - - -

MR HUMPHRIES: Sorry, we said we wanted to - - -

Mr Berry: The deal was that they would all be incorporated, and now you are being picky and choosy.

MR HUMPHRIES: No, that was not the deal. Who got out of bed on the wrong side today, Mr Speaker? These first home owner scheme grants become available for eligible applicants as from 1 July 2000, the same date that the goods and service tax is introduced by the Commonwealth. Grants will be available to genuine first home owners who contract to purchase an existing home, buy a house/land package or, in the case of owner-builders, commence construction of their first home on or after 1 July 2000.

An applicant must have title to the property or gain title as a result of the transaction in question and intend it to be their place of residence. To obtain the grant from the ACT, the property must, of course, be in the ACT. An applicant is entitled to only one grant, either individually or in partnership with one or more other persons.

The Bill will be administered in the ACT by the Commissioner for ACT Revenue and her office. The Bill provides for cross-border investigations and, where appropriate, these powers will be used to ensure that fraudulent claims are identified and dealt with.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, this Bill introduces a scheme which will be of considerable financial assistance to genuine first home owners and will also help ensure that activities in the building industry are not being adversely affected by the introduction of the goods and services tax. I commend the Bill to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Quinlan ) adjourned.

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