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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 12 Hansard (20 November) . . Page.. 4401 ..

MRS BURKE (continuing):

ACT Housing will need to continually work towards better policy regarding their allocations and transfers. Looking at the system from where I sit, which is often quite difficult, it seems that there it currently in place a policy of one size fits all for both transferring and allocations. This is proving to be a fairly big struggle in terms of managing the whole transfers and allocations system. I would advocate for a separate policy for transfers and allocations.

As Mr Wood is quite happy for me to stand here doing a lot of his work for him, as he has said before in this place-I guess that is the work of oppositions, and then the outworking of that is that governments can pick it up and run with it-I am happy. If people benefit in the end, that is what we are in this place for: people over process. We need a system that responds to the changing needs of ACT Housing clients. We know that the landscape has changed dramatically and that fewer people are living in more houses. This is obviously impacting on the already difficult situation we have in the ACT.

Moving through the report, I commend the department for their report and the work they are doing. There is some good and interesting information here, off which they will be able to springboard-and are probably doing that now. Looking at dwelling locations, on page 10, the report says:

... the portfolio will need to respond to the changing needs, household structures and growth patterns of the Canberra community.

We have a really shifting, moving community-not so much because people are choosing that directly but because they are being advised more and more to broaden their options of where to live in order, because of the tight squeeze on properties available, to not limit themselves to an area. We see the figures being moved-not falsely, but not showing a true picture of where people would love to live.

I know that the minister will bear out that they have to take a second or third option. Rather than say, "I'd like to live in Woden,"people now have to say, "I'll live anywhere."Interestingly, that may have some sway over those figures. It just gives people a better chance to be allocated and given a roof over their heads if they elect to say they will live anywhere. It may not therefore reflect the true demand in an area, and it is because of the squeeze that we have on. We need roofs over people's heads, and I know the minister will be the first to say, "Yes please-more properties."Support is very important, but we need roofs over people's heads.

On page 11 the report looks at unmet need where, and I quote:

... existing accommodation is considered to be not fully appropriate for reasons of size or location.

Further down the page, the report says:

The rate of tenancy turnover in the large multi-unit complexes is higher than the rest of the portfolio.

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