Page 1769 - Week 05 - Thursday, 2 April 2009
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In its first year, this allocation enabled Housing ACT to purchase 25 properties for Canberra families. A further 27 properties are expected to be purchased from this funding and, in addition, we allocated $4.3 million from the home loan portfolio to acquire 14 two-bedroom properties in 2007-08. In 2008-09, Housing ACT’s capital program involves $82.903 million, which will provide an estimated 64 constructed properties, 145 purchased homes and approximately $9 million in upgrades and improvements.
As part of our commitment to environmental sustainability, the government has committed to improve energy and water efficiency in public housing. Twenty million dollars will be spent over 10 years on energy efficiency measures in homes and $500,000 has been committed over two years for water efficiency improvements. Together, this represents the most significant boost to public housing since self-government, and we are committed to maintaining this momentum.
But now, in addition to this commitment by a territory Labor government, we have the historic initiative by the commonwealth government to support jobs and invest in future long-term economic growth for the nation. This is a defining moment for social housing nationally, as the Rudd Labor government begins to address the years of neglect for housing overseen by the Howard Liberal government.
The ACT’s share of the funds for social housing will be in the order of $103 million; $96.5 million of which will provide for the construction of around 290 homes over two years, with the balance of $6.5 million being used for the maintenance of around 243 properties. This will allow Housing ACT to revitalise its public housing portfolio and continue to ensure that it remains able to meet the needs of applicants and tenants. For example, Housing ACT will be able to construct properties in high demand areas. The flow-on effect will be to make more suitable properties available to some tenants who may choose properties with fewer bedrooms, which better suit their needs. This will free up homes which can then be allocated to applicants who need larger dwellings.
The ACT is also well placed to utilise the maintenance dollars to be provided by the commonwealth. As I have already mentioned, some $6.5 million will be available which can be used for maintenance on 243 properties. As properties age and maintenance costs increase, Housing ACT is often faced with the decision to dispose of properties that require a significant amount of maintenance to be undertaken. The injection of these much needed maintenance dollars will result in the retention of properties and ultimately continue to increase property numbers.
As with the construction of new dwellings, the ACT already has maintenance works within existing maintenance contracts which can be expanded. These include upgrades to existing properties to bring them up to current housing and environmental standards, upgrading three smaller multi-unit properties as an alternative to redevelopment and the extension of some properties to better match demand.
Last week in this place, as an acknowledgement of the government’s commitment to working with its partners, I made a commitment to lead a multipartisan approach to
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