Page 1026 - Week 03 - Thursday, 21 March 2019
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MR COE (Yerrabi—Leader of the Opposition) (5.57): I hope the Assembly notes that we granted leave for these amendments, despite the fact that they did not go through the usual process. I hope that the same luxury will be afforded to the opposition in similar circumstances in the future.
The Chief Minister, when he spoke at the in-principle stage, stated that he is open to extending the scheme or expanding it if it achieves the goals that the Assembly sets. I now invite the Chief Minister to outline what those goals are.
Mr Barr: It is not the time to do that now. We will set those in due course. I am not doing it now.
MR COE: So what the Chief Minister is now saying is that we will determine goals later on but we will put in a hard amount now and a limit of 100. So we are going to evaluate the program but we do not have any goals or criteria as to how we should evaluate it. This begs the question: surely getting more than 100 subscriptions is a good thing, so why would you put this limit in? If the intention is to provide relief to Canberrans by way of land tax that then flows on to rent, is getting more than 100 not a good thing?
The opposition will be opposing these amendments. These amendments did not go before scrutiny, and I think they change the effect of the provisions considerably. They introduce a general cap on the number of properties entitled to an exemption and the value of land tax that may be exempted. The bill applied those limitations to the individual owners. However, these provisions have been intentionally drafted so as to limit the overall impact of the concession. We believe that the initiatives designed to address affordable housing should not be half-measures. They should not be limited. Therefore I will be opposing the introduction of these caps.
MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Social Inclusion and Equality, Minister for Tourism and Special Events and Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment) (6.00): As I indicated in my statement in the in-principle stage—I set out the criteria in relation to eligibility—I have been very clear in relation to setting aside funding. I have indicated that the program will be evaluated and that the government is open to consideration of expansion, if it achieves the goals that are outlined in the affordable housing strategy and that are outlined in the legislation. But I am not going to make up, on the spot, here for the benefit of the Leader of the Opposition goals beyond that. They are outlined in the housing affordability strategy and they are outlined in the legislation.
But we also have to set a budget for these things. This is not an open-ended, uncapped arrangement. We do need to set a budget for it. Once we can evaluate the success of this initial phase, then we can look at expansion. I am not close minded to that and that is why I indicated that in the in-principle stage as it would, I would hope, have given some further comfort to those who are advocating for greater access to the scheme.
I note that Ms Le Couteur put the alternative view that she was pessimistic about even achieving 100. If we get to 100, great. If we have achieved that inside the first
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