Page 1549 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 4 May 2016
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committed to the release of another 17,000 dwelling sites over the next four years, with 20 per cent of blocks across new estates reserved for affordable housing. We have also entered into more than 1,800 land rent contracts which have substantially lowered the barriers to home ownership for those who would not be able to contemplate home ownership in other jurisdictions.
Looking further ahead, and as the submission tabled yesterday explains, the government has formed a high level housing policy steering committee with responsibility for oversight and advice to government across our affordable housing initiatives. The committee is looking closely at the fit of the affordable housing action plan in the current market and will also look at options for a greater targeting of assistance for target groups such as private renters in the second income quintile.
Social housing is also an important component of a city’s housing affordability and successive Labor governments have maintained the most significant social housing system per capita in Australia. Currently the government is renewing 11 per cent of these homes with more modern, efficient and accessible homes under the public housing renewal program. Tenants from these properties are being relocated progressively. Extensive consultation is being undertaken with the tenants to provide them with the support they need during this process. The ACT government supports a socially inclusive approach to public housing and is committed to working with local communities to ensure the design of new public housing is appropriate to their location and needs.
This is a record we on this side are proud to take forward and we look forward to having the debate around housing affordability, social housing and how we keep building fairness and inclusion into our communities as the year progresses. I commend the amendment circulated in my name to the Assembly.
MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (5.54): I would like to thank Mr Hinder for his comments and make a couple of points in response. Many of the suggestions that I made in my motion have been removed in the amendment, which is a pity because some of them did come directly from the affordable housing action plan which the government put together itself. That included the independent benchmark pipeline, an inventory of off the shelf land, those kinds of things.
It is such a pity that this government are more concerned about congratulating themselves about what they are doing rather than acknowledging the affordable housing crisis that we see every day in our city. And this is affecting young families and people on single incomes and families on single incomes more than any others. It is really disappointing that this government is not able to admit that more needs to be done in this regard. I will read a quote here:
Housing is a large part of Canberra’s wealth and living standards. Its value underpins consumer confidence. Its prosperity adds substantially to economic growth. The provision of secure, affordable and appropriate housing is central to community wellbeing. The recent huge increases in housing prices have created severe problems for the territory’s economic development and competitiveness, efficient urban development and intergenerational equity.
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