Page 244 - Week 01 - Thursday, 13 February 2020
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We have used the experience of Victoria, New South Wales and the Northern Territory to inform our amendments to support tenants who are moving into aged care or social housing. This is a really good example of where the current act did not meet the needs of our community, forcing landlords and tenants to apply to the tribunal for something that was obvious or straightforward. It would seem that people who are older or people who may be meaning to move into social housing are not people that the Canberra Liberals think it is important to have amendments to protect. But these are amendments that are designed to assist some of the most vulnerable people in our community.
This government not only sees the necessity for that but will act on it. We will not make excuses, like the Canberra Liberals will, to avoid acting on that. In fact, to oppose these amendments is simply to say that tenants in the territory deserve less than their counterparts in the rest of Australia. And that is what we have heard from the opposition spokesperson today.
Finally, this bill also tidies up administrative provisions of the act that were creating uncertainty or unnecessary obstacles for tenants and landlords. Unnecessary gaps between the office for rental bonds and the tribunal are being removed. Historic powers of the tribunal that were inadvertently displaced more than a decade ago are being restored. Key amongst these administrative provisions is a simple, legislative fix to a decade-old legal question in the ACT: when the act changes, what effect does it have on current tenancies? Now, because of this bill, we have a clear and simple answer. For a fixed-term agreement it is the terms in force at the time that the parties entered into the agreement. Periodic agreements always incorporate the most up-to-date provisions.
This bill does cover a lot of ground. No other bill arising from the 2016 review of the act has covered a range of issues as diverse or technical as this. But it is worth getting into the diversity and worth understanding the technicality, especially for those who have responsibility in this area.
I thank all stakeholders who have engaged with government regarding these reforms for their very considered views on the proposals. They have helped put forward a tempered, moderate, balanced set of proposals that will achieve meaningful outcomes both for tenants and for landlords. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
Sitting suspended from 12.16 to 2 pm.
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