Page 1018 - Week 03 - Thursday, 21 March 2019
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The federal ALP scheme, unfortunately, would only be for new construction. Given that most of the houses in Canberra that are going to be available for rental in the next few years have, in fact, already been built, it is of limited use. Thus, I strongly support the ACT government scheme, even if the federal Labor Party is elected and in fact introduces this scheme.
I am really glad that there has not been any further commentary of the sort that we heard from the ALP last year about trickle-up economics or subsidies for rich and greedy landlords now that the government is, thankfully, implementing the land tax discount. I hope that this is because the people who previously criticised the land tax exemption scheme now realise that it will still come as proposed in the ACT, at a net cost to philanthropically minded landlords rather than serving as a handout. It also represents incredibly good value for money in terms of bang for buck and in terms of affordable housing provision, as both I and Mr Parton argued last year. It is a pity it was not done last year, but this year is better than nothing. I look forward to it being a successful scheme.
In conclusion, I really hope that the land tax exemption will form part of a more comprehensive package of work aimed at supporting and growing the community housing sector in the ACT. This was foreshadowed in the housing strategy. I hope it is extended and I hope it is made permanent.
MR PARTON (Brindabella) (5.28): I want to start by reflecting on a comment from Ms Le Couteur because I could not let it go by. I think this is a direct quote, “I’m going to vote for this bill because I don’t think it will make things worse than they are now.” I know that it is taken a little out of context, but I found it to be an extraordinary statement. I am somewhat disappointed to be speaking on this bill for a couple of reasons. One of them is that this omnibus bill has so many moving parts. It has so many genuine changes to policy in a number of areas that it is impossible to consider the bill as a whole, because it moves in so many directions and it does so many different things.
Additionally, on the subject of land tax rebates, it is a little disappointing that we have had to wait for six months to talk about this—six months in which people who are struggling to make ends meet and struggling to find affordable housing could have been able to find relief. At least we have finally reached this point. This does not often happen, but I would like to applaud my Greens colleague Ms Le Couteur. Although on this side of the chamber we talk about the bill that I brought to the chamber, as it is on the record many times, it is something that Ms Le Couteur has been passionate about for a lot longer than I have. The bill that we put together was certainly modelled on the motion that my Greens colleague brought to the chamber, knowing that we were working on pretty much the same thing.
In August last year I had been determined to craft a bill providing property owners with a break on land tax where they were prepared to rent their property through a community housing provider at a discounted rate. I based the proposal on our appreciation of the affordable housing problem, advice from the housing industry, and advice from the Greens and advocates from the social housing sector.
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