Page 2131 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 15 August 2006
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MR STANHOPE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am talking about the property council and I am giving some background to statements made by the property council in the last week, which I believe goes to the seriousness of those representations and to the position put by the property council driven, of course, by a bit of self-interest—the horse you always back until it has raced. To that extent, the property council made something of this issue. Last week Catherine Carter berated the government about the extent to which opportunities were available for the commercial sector. Six months ago this same council, through its membership, made significant representations to me and to the Minister for Planning about the oversupply of commercial land in the territory. Today we had these spurious claims.
Mr Mulcahy: Point of order. Mr Speaker, the Chief Minister is four minutes into his reply and he has still not responded to the question that I asked. Could the Chief Minister confirm the rate increase?
MR SPEAKER: The Chief Minister is staying with the subject matter. I cannot direct him how to answer the question.
MR STANHOPE: Today the property council made repeated and spurious claims in relation to residential affordability. As a combination of household disposable income, we have lower home mortgage payments than anywhere else in Australia by far—almost exactly half the affordability index of Sydney. Today we had the absolutely nonsensical suggestion by the property council that workers in Canberra, because of affordability issues in the territory, will rush to Sydney where it is exactly twice as difficult—from 18 per cent to 35 per cent—in the context of the portion of one’s pay that has to be paid out in mortgage to purchase a home.
Mr Mulcahy: Mr Speaker, I refer to relevance. The Chief Minister’s answer to my question has no relevance whatsoever.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Mulcahy, your question specifically related to statements that the property council made.
Mr Mulcahy: My question related to the rates forecast by the property council. It had nothing to do with residential housing and whether or not people could afford to buy homes.
MR SPEAKER: I think the Chief Minister was also talking about the credibility of the property council’s protestations in other areas.
Mr Mulcahy: Does he deny the figure? That is all he has to say.
MR STANHOPE: Yes, I am. It is relevant. My point relates to the statements made today by the property council. The statements made today by the property council about home loan affordability and housing affordability are spurious. The shadow treasurer suggested the property council has made other claims that should be passed on to me for comment. Of course, I will check those claims. I checked what it said in relation to affordability and it is simply wrong. It is false, it is spurious and it is political.
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