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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 12 Hansard (18 November) . . Page.. 4254 ..

MR WOOD (continuing):

I have also agreed with Ms Tucker to an explicit broadening of the ACT residents criteria to include students who are studying in the ACT but who live elsewhere, such as in Queanbeyan. Students who can demonstrate a firm intention to study in the ACT will also be included, provided they can produce satisfactory evidence such as enrolment details. I have already discussed with Ms Tucker the proposal to remove the requirement for an applicant to have permanent residence. This could open up the scheme to a broader range, as was intended by the agreement. As I understand it, Ms Tucker's intention was to provide for people in difficult but irregular situations, specifically refugees on temporary protection visas.

Although we believe the current program is flexible enough to address these special needs without opening up the program to others with lesser claims, we also believe there is value in making explicit provision in the program for people who are in Australia on TPVs. My department is discussing with the Government Solicitor's Office how this might best be done. That will become part of it; it might take a little time to get the right words, the way these things operate.

I have also agreed with Ms Tucker, in line with clauses 4, 5 and 6 of her proposed amendment, to change the program by increasing from seven to 28 days the time limits for applicants to provide additional information and to make appeals against decisions on their application. That covers that one.

I wish to make it clear that the government had no problem with Ms Tucker's obvious desire to broaden and improve the rental bonds housing program. Indeed, it was always our intention to review the program after it operated for a period of about 12 months, to identify any gaps or inequities, with the objective of proposing any necessary improvement. We have probably moved a bit faster, haven't we?

Although the government was unable to support all of the proposals reflected in the amendment, I believe that Ms Tucker's proposals have facilitated significant progress being made in broadening and improving the program. I believe that, in those comments I have made, I have covered the points we discussed and the four points in your letter.

I will be bringing shortly an amendment to the rental bonds program to give effect to the changes that I have agreed with Ms Tucker and which I have foreshadowed today. We had hoped to do that next week, but it goes to the GSO. There may be debate over the words. It will certainly be this year.

Finally, I would remind members that this very new program only commenced operating on 1 July 2003 and is still being established in the marketplace. I believe it has had a promising start. However, it needs to be emphasised that it has been introduced at a time of relatively low vacancy rates and substantial competition for the available dwellings. As expected, the initial take-up rate for assistance under the program has been fairly modest, but we anticipate a substantially increased take-up in coming months as, hopefully, the private rental market eases and the community and the industry become more familiar with the program.

The introduction of the rental bonds program and the changes I have outlined today are designed to address a range of identified needs within the ACT community. Today I have

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