Page 1360 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 25 March 2009
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I think we should recognise that this stimulus investment is an extraordinary opportunity that would not have occurred if the commonwealth government had not decided that it needed to invest rapidly in the Australian economy in response to the international economic crisis. I also think we should recognise that the six-star benchmark that has been set for the second stage of this housing project is the result of the Greens’ influence in the Senate and, indeed, is just one of the benefits that have flowed from the government minority in the Senate.
Given the unique nature and unprecedented scale of this project, the ACT government should have automatically looked for community support in order to ensure it was well used. I appreciate that everyone in the ACT government who was involved is under enormous pressure to deliver very quickly on this initiative. And so it might seem to them that just getting on and locking up the deal is the only task of importance. But the houses, once designed and built, will be in place for 40 or 50 years or more. And if a significant proportion of these properties are to be handed over to community organisations, as the commonwealth has indicated, then the sector needs to be up to the job and they need to have some ownership of the projects in place.
In that context then, we would like to be sure that the ACT government recognises the difference between community housing and affordable housing providers. There are currently about five community housing organisations in the ACT who target their housing at low-income people with particular needs. Along with high-level tenancy management, the community housing organisations provide coordination and delivery of services that are particular to the groups they house, including students, people with disabilities, refugees and single parents. Rent is normally charged at a rate of 25 per cent of the tenant’s income.
Alternatively, CHC is now seen as the core non-government provider of affordable housing in the ACT, servicing low and moderate-income households. In 2007-08, about 20 per cent of CHC’s tenancies were managed under the affordable housing model where rent was set at 74.9 per cent of market rent. The remaining tenancies were managed under the community housing model where rent was based on 25 per cent of household income. According to CHC’s 2007-08 annual report, CHC’s transition towards an affordable housing provider is gaining momentum.
At 6.00 pm, in accordance with standing order 34, the debate was interrupted. The motion for the adjournment of the Assembly having been put and negatived, the debate was resumed.
MS BRESNAN: Where I was up to? A strong focus for CHC is to deliver against the objectives and targets established by the affordable housing action plan. From here on in, it is my understanding that the growth market for CHC will be in the area of the construction of new housing which will then largely be sold at an affordable level to low to middle-income earners or, to a lesser degree, rented out at 75 per cent of market rates.
The need for affordable housing in Canberra is recognised and valued. And the ACT government provision of a $50 million rolling loan to CHC is to be applauded.
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