Page 1542 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 10 May 2017
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outside the expectations of the community and that, in and of itself, should be addressed by the government. The community is clearly saying that the redefinitions have gone too far, and that it has well and truly gone beyond their expectations. Perhaps they should have been renamed from community facility zoned land to whatever zoning the government needs in order to build on land. If that is what it is then rename it. Be honest; do not keep calling it community facilities land when it is not something that the whole community can use. I support the motion and the amendment from Mr Hanson.
MS BERRY (Ginninderra—Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development, Minister for Housing and Suburban Development, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Women and Minister for Sport and Recreation) (11.49): Thanks very much for the chance to speak on this motion and the amendment. I will pretty much stick to public housing because that is what I come to in this conversation.
Of course, we have all been talking a lot about how important public housing renewal is in the ACT, for this government and for the broader community. The renewal program is a reflection of this government’s values, and it is important that this government demonstrate our commitment to maintaining and promoting the inclusive nature of our city. The proposals which I recently announced for six public housing sites across Canberra, in Wright, Holder, Chapman, Mawson and Monash, are just one part of this program of renewal. These sites are consistent with our objectives of spreading public housing more evenly throughout this city. We are providing a mix of public housing types in a range of locations to support tenants from all walks of life to meet their different needs.
These six sites are not the first instances of public housing being developed on community facility zoned land. The public housing renewal task force developments in Monash, Chisholm and Nicholls are located on community facility zoned land, and Housing ACT already has more than 300 supportive housing properties in their portfolio on community facility zoned sites.
Public housing is supportive housing. It serves a purpose for our entire community. Community facility zoning is about social sustainability and inclusion. By using some community facility zoned land for public housing, we are providing support to those who need it, and we are complying with the requirements of the Territory Plan.
The ACT government is also building and purchasing replacement housing on other sites throughout the city, in both new and established suburbs, on residentially zoned land and on community facility zoned land, from Gungahlin all the way over to Tuggeranong. We are securing nearly 180 replacement homes in suburbs close to Northbourne Avenue and more than 400 homes have been delivered to Housing ACT through this program.
I cannot emphasise enough how significant and important the renewal program is for our community and our public housing tenants. The improved quality of the new homes constructed through this renewal program makes a major difference to the lives
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