Page 864 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 9 March 2016
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Supplementary answers to questions without notice
Housing—government purchases
MR BARR: Yesterday Mr Coe and Ms Lawder asked me a series of questions in relation to the purchase of dwellings from the private sector for public housing. I can respond to Mr Coe’s question by advising that the public housing renewal task force purchased the properties in two ways: under an expression of interest process under the Government Procurement Act 2001, and through Housing ACT under the Housing Assistance Act 2007, in accordance with the public housing asset management strategy 2012-17. All properties mentioned in the Canberra Times article were purchased through these arrangements.
Ms Lawder asked about the criteria and policy used to determine appropriate dwellings for purchase, what they were and whether they were publicly available. The answer is yes, as I indicated yesterday. The documents outlining the expression of interest requirements are, of course, available on the tender web page, but I would refer the member to both the livable design guidelines, available at Livablehousingaustralia.org.au, and the adaptable housing requirements as governed by the territory plan. I would also refer the member to the public housing asset management strategy, which guides Housing ACT’s purchase of properties. That is, of course, available on the Community Services Directorate website. Ms Lawder finally asked me which agency is now listed on the title. The initial title is, as I mentioned yesterday, the Australian Capital Territory, but on completion properties are transferred to the Commissioner for Social Housing. This means that the title will ultimately be held in the name of the Commissioner for Social Housing.
Small business—development applications
MR GENTLEMAN: During question time today I took a question from Mrs Jones in regard to home businesses and development applications. I can advise that development approval is not required for a home business conducted from a residential lease if it complies with the rules set out in schedule 1, part 1.3, division 1.3.7, section 1.108 of the Planning and Development Regulation 2008. To summarise that, a home business does not need development approval if no more than two people work on the premises at any time, anyone who works on the premises generally lives there, the area used for the business, including storage, is not more than 40 square metres, any vehicles parked at the premises for the purposes of the business are parked in a driveway, garage, carport or location screened from the road and, averaged out over a period of seven days, the conduct of the business does not generate more than five vehicle arrivals each day; and there are also some general exemption criteria. Home businesses that do not comply with those particular considerations would need to apply for a development application. The cost for a development application for a home business is $978 and then a further cost of $59 for each additional year, up to four years. There could be some costs if there were some lease searches.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video