Page 2297 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 22 June 2011
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Further practical help is also being provided to low income households to reduce the cost of energy with energy and water efficiencies. Tenants in public housing households are being assisted to reduce their household energy and utility costs.
Looking at travel, we know that travel costs can also be part of a family’s budget. Compared with other jurisdictions, the ACT has recorded the lowest increase in public transport costs since 2001, with an increase of 19.5 per cent compared to a national increase of 33 per cent. Low income ACT residents and students have been provided with concession travel on ACTION buses. We have also issued 1,179 gold cards in 2009-10, which allows for free travel on buses for Canberrans aged 75 years and older.
The ACT taxi subsidy scheme assists people with disabilities and older people with taxi fares. There are around 3,000 individuals who use the taxi subsidy scheme in the ACT. In 2009-10 over $1 million was provided in subsidies and the number of taxi vouchers and subsidies per trip for people with a disability and in wheelchairs has been increased in this budget. We have provided over $2 million over four years. Concessions are also provided to low income earners and age pensioners for the cost of vehicle and trailer registration and drivers licences.
When we look at housing, the ACT government recognises that housing costs are a significant part of a family budget. The government provides housing assistance to low to moderate income families through public and community housing and affordable housing initiatives. For those on low incomes, a rental rebate is provided to meet the cost of public housing. In 2009-10 more than 90 per cent of tenants in public housing were in receipt of a rental rebate. Over 11½ thousand households were assisted through social housing.
The government is continuing to implement its affordable housing action plan, which addresses the issues of housing affordability across the spectrum for homebuyers and for renters, those in community housing and those in public housing. Just this week, we launched a new program for older Canberrans which will see them buy into, effectively, a public housing property at 75 per cent of value.
People on low incomes and age pensioners are provided with concessions on their property rates. The pensioner duty concession scheme assists pensioners to move to accommodation more suited to their needs by charging duty at a concessional rate. Since the commencement of the pensioner duty concession scheme, to the end of February 2011 190 households received the benefit of concessional duty, totalling approximately $2.2 million.
The first homeowner grant provides a $7,000 grant to first homebuyers to purchase their home. In 2009-10 2,823 people received such a grant. The government is also assisting those on low incomes with affordable housing options by providing Community Housing Canberra with loans of $70 million. Over 10 years these loans will finance over 500 properties for affordable sale and 500 for affordable rental. We also have 20 per cent affordable housing in greenfields. We have a land rent scheme and a shared equity scheme.
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