Page 2482 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 1 August 2018

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(iii) rates rebates for community housing providers for properties where the tenants would be eligible for such rebates if they were home owners; and

The government has been exploring a number of options that have been raised during the extensive community consultation at the housing and homelessness summit held last year, a summit that Ms Le Couteur attended. The particular focus of today’s motion was raised at the summit. It is outlined in the strategy engagement report that I tabled in the Assembly earlier this year.

A range of ideas was brought forward to increase options for affordable renting in the ACT. These included financial levers and incentives to increase the building of affordable rental properties or to make existing rental properties more affordable; ways to assist community housing providers to access land that might assist community housing providers to develop more properties; build-to-rent models for affordable rent; sustainability measures that may help with more affordable living costs; and Residential Tenancies Act amendments that might support greater security and protection for tenants.

Ms Le Couteur suggestion today is to make a decision about implementing a policy without having had genuine conversation. This is what I have been doing with the community over the past 18 months. It is to consider all of the ideas they have come up with and delivered at the housing strategy. I have outlined these in the paper. I have also brought together a group of individuals to assist me in bringing all of these ideas to the government to consider as I develop a strategy that will be released later this year.

Of course, the government has not been sitting around in the meantime waiting for something to happen. We have been very busy after the summit and I have announced a range of early initiatives, including the affordable home purchase database and targets for social and affordable housing in the land release program, as well as the $1 million innovation fund.

The innovation fund was developed to help proposals to increase affordable rentals in the ACT that have been in operation in other jurisdictions, such as the HomeGround real estate model. Offering tax exemptions to property owners who participate in this scheme would support the operation of this model and this proposal is being considered as part of the strategy.

Other initiatives for consideration under the innovation fund include a home share scheme, support for co-housing and options to increase affordable rentals for disability accommodation and families escaping family violence. An announcement for funding under year 1 of the innovation fund, as Ms Le Couteur has noted, will be made very soon.

As I have said in this chamber before, I did not want to release just a glossy document and then be done with it. I want the strategy to be the right one that will outline

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