Page 471 - Week 02 - Thursday, 11 February 2021
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Labor-Greens coalition government doing to fix this shortfall in social housing for Canberrans?
MS BERRY: Madam Speaker, I should probably answer that question. I am responsible for implementing the housing strategy, as well as the growth and renewal program that the ACT government has embarked on. It is more appropriate for me to answer the question.
There has been significant work in the ACT on our growth and renewal program for the next years. Over the 10 years to 2025, the ACT government will have spent over $1 billion on our growth and renewal program, increasing the amount of public housing but also making sure that housing is appropriate and meets the needs of each tenant, and that it is sustainable, accessible and affordable in the sense of heating and cooling in Canberra’s changing climate.
The growth and renewal program for the next four years has over 1,000 homes being renewed across the ACT. Once that is completed, over 20 per cent of the ACT’s public housing stock will have been renewed as part of this program. As well, in accordance with the parliamentary and governing agreement, there will be an increase in the number of public housing properties, to 400.
In addition to that, OneLink provides services to put people in touch with different service organisations to get them into homes of their own. It might not be public housing; it might not be community housing. It might be private rental or it might be opportunities to get into different housing and accommodation. Housing ACT does all this work, along with its partners in OneLink, to provide services to people in our community who need them. Public housing might not always be the appropriate option for them.
MR CAIN: What is the coalition government doing to alleviate the rental stress of those 9,500 low income rental households?
MS BERRY: There has been significant work done by the ACT government. I refer Peter Cain to answers to questions this week by Mr Parton.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Don’t respond to interjections, Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: Yes, Madam Speaker. We are making sure that people can have rental support in the ACT but also making sure that there are properties available. We talked yesterday about the supply of land in the ACT, and there is land available for purchase. Affordable community and public housing are committed to be 15 per cent across all of the ACT, brownfields and greenfields, to ensure that all housing meets everybody’s needs, regardless of where they are, their incomes or their backgrounds, so that they are supported into accommodation that meets their needs.
MR PARTON: Minister, when will the government acknowledge its pure neglect of the thousands of Canberrans who are suffering housing stress?
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