Page 751 - Week 02 - Thursday, 10 March 2011
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power to meet the demand that our economy is driving. (Time expired.)
MR SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, a supplementary question.
MR SESELJA: Minister, how many of the 10,400 dwelling sites, referred to by you in your answer, released since 2008 have now had houses built on them?
MR STANHOPE: I will take that question on notice. Indeed, as I was saying, the demand is enormous. I thank Mr Seselja for the question, to allow me to continue to explain just how successful this economy has been under this government.
Mr Seselja: You simply cannot answer the question.
MR STANHOPE: How would I know that? How would I carry that around in my head? I am sure the only thing that Mr Seselja can remember, or the only number he can remember, this morning is when he got out of bed, rather late.
Ten thousand four hundred have been delivered since October 2008. Five thousand will be delivered this financial year. Five thousand will be delivered in the next financial year, with a total of 17,000. These are numbers that have never before been experienced in the ACT and they are a direct result, a direct flow-on, of the success of this economy under this government. It has never been stronger.
All the indicators show the enormous strength of this economy and the fact that, as a result of that, the enormous demand and pent-up demand in relation to and for housing has to be met. We are striving as hard as we can and, across the board, we are succeeding. And it has to be said, in any discussion around this issue, with the Liberal Party out there talking the town down, talking down the fact that you cannot get a job here of if you do get a job you cannot afford to live here, over the last two years 4,763 homes under $400,000 have been exchanged, bought or were built in the ACT as a result of this government’s policies.
We are doing more than any other government in Australia in relation to affordability. We are doing more innovative things. We are pursuing land rent. We are pursuing or mandating that 20 per cent of all housing will be delivered for under $328,000 on land sold by the ACT. We are encouraging, through CHC, affordable housing and the completion of a whole range of—(Time expired.)
MR SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, a supplementary question?
MR SESELJA: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, what does the HIA-Commonwealth Bank survey say about housing affordability in the ACT? Are there other surveys which focus exclusively on the affordability equation for first home buyers and, if so, what do they say?
MR STANHOPE: I thank Mr Seselja. There are other surveys. Indeed, there was a major national survey released in the last month of relative prices and affordability across six nations around the world. It quite interestingly compares housing in Australia across the board with housing in the United States, New Zealand—
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