Page 2490 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 22 August 2006
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Mrs Dunne talked about climate change strategies. That is fortunate. It means I do not have to say a great deal. There is now almost complete consensus that unless there is a concerted attempt, starting now but ideally long before, the impacts of human-induced climate change will be irreversible, with impacts that may change the way we live and the world we do it in. This was admitted by the Chief Minister in annual report hearings last year.
Yet we do not see that understanding reflected anywhere in this budget, although the author of the functional review heads up the body which delivers water to the ACT and which will bear the brunt of the drought which seems to be upon us already and which climate change is predicted to exacerbate. Instead, we see the body, which was charged with the responsibility of delivering us a strategy for mitigation and adaptation, the Office of Sustainability, broken up between two departments, reduced in numbers and with a number of important tasks it was undertaking removed from it.
Yes, we are told that we will see a greenhouse strategy before too long. As so many individuals and community organisations spent many hours writing submissions and attending consultations, we are glad that they will see something for their efforts. But what? I fear that the expertise that is needed for this crucial document is sorely depleted by the fragmenting of the Office of Sustainability. There is a crisis of leadership when the Chief Minister does not bother to deliver on an issue which he recognises is one of the greatest threats before us.
Another task charged to the office was the development of sustainability legislation. Indeed, if my memory serves me well, this was one of the promises of the government prior to the last election. I believe that the work was well advanced. Again, a number of community groups made contributions. I believe that members of the sustainability expert reference group were very keen on seeing this project reach completion.
I now address some specific projects and responsibilities in the Chief Minister’s Department. Firstly, I congratulate the Chief Minister on the establishment of an affordable housing steering group as a priority project. Housing unaffordability is an important and intractable problem for people in Canberra who are not at the top of the income tree. The Chief Minister has made the point that average income in Canberra is high and that, consequently, buying a house here can be said to be easier for people earning an average Canberra income than Sydney people on an average Sydney income. The reality in this city, however, is that people trapped in the bottom two quintiles face persistent housing stress. It is a tremendous pity this affordable housing initiative will run concurrently with major cuts to SAAP funding and to public and community housing. I wish to take my second 10 minutes.
MR SPEAKER: Continue.
DR FOSKEY: I imagine the steering group, in advising the Chief Minister of concrete steps that could be taken to improve housing affordability for those in the most need, would recommend that SAAP be maintained, not cut, and that public and community housing be grown, not constrained, no matter what benchmarks a functional review might choose. The Chief Minister to date has avoided referring to the private rental market, the biggest supplier of housing for people living with housing stress. I trust that
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