Page 1932 - Week 05 - Thursday, 5 May 2011
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The improvements to walking and cycling in and around Civic is a quiet achiever for sustainability in the ACT budget. A number of measures that we called for have been funded, including $1.5 million for walking and cycling infrastructure, $400,000 for path lighting improvements over four years and funds for public transport infrastructure to encourage walking, cycling and bus use.
I turn to the subject of cost of living. The Greens are pleased that the government has adopted some of our initiatives to address this issue for the poorest and most vulnerable in the community and the people for whom cost of living is a significant issue.
The focus on the impact of rising electricity prices on those in our community who are most vulnerable to price increases is particularly welcome. We put the issue of diminishing energy concessions on the agenda last year with a motion in the Assembly, and also included in the parliamentary agreement other items, such as the doubling of funding to improve energy efficiency in public housing. Both of those items have been comprehensively addressed in this year’s budget—a doubling of funding for public housing energy improvements and an additional $12 million towards the energy concession rebate to help offset rising utility prices.
In addition, the government have demonstrated with this budget that they are tackling energy efficiency problems in a hands-on way with those who most need the assistance through the $4.4 million program for low income families. This is where government assistance will have the most impact where it is most needed. We welcome the $9.5 million in capital funds to expand public housing. This is, of course, the most efficient way government can deliver affordable housing to the least well off in the community. The injection is just a one off, and we need to see action like this in every budget in order to maintain our public housing stock as population grows.
There is some funding for homelessness which will be delivered immediately for rough sleepers, and that is very pleasing. We are very supportive of the common ground project as well as the expansion of housing at the Narrabundah long-stay caravan park, as people on low incomes in Canberra desperately need more affordable housing options.
On housing affordability more generally, the Greens remain concerned at the gap between public and community housing. For those who just miss out on public housing, 75 per cent of market rent charged by community housing is still often very, very difficult for people to be able to afford. The government has allocated $1.4 million to progressing the affordable housing plan, and we hope that will result in a comprehensive evidence-based plan that delivers affordable housing to those who need it.
Last October the government said it was conducting a review of its affordable housing action plan, and seven months on we still have not seen this. Hopefully the review is comprehensive and we will see a plan that addresses the ongoing affordability issues associated with housing, such as running costs as well as the purchase and rent price. We acknowledge the government is attempting to deliver affordable houses within its
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