Page 1569 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 27 September 1989
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MR SPEAKER: Order! As the time for private members' business has expired, the debate is interrupted. The Chief Minister has leave to continue her remarks when the debate is resumed.
PRESENTATION OF PAPER
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister): Mr Speaker, I present the following paper:
New Capital Works Program 1989-90 - Government's response to the report by the Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Infrastructure.
HOUSING POLICY REVIEW 1989-90
Ministerial Statement
MRS GRASSBY (Minister for Housing and Urban Services), by leave: Mr Speaker, in the ministerial statement on 25 May 1989 I announced a review of the housing policy and I promised that it would bring about real changes. The Chief Minister, in her budget statement, outlined the first results of the review. I now wish to detail the housing measures in the first budget for the ACT which will advance the social justice objectives of the Government.
In the election campaign, we promised to retain a strong public housing sector to meet the needs of those on low incomes. The Commonwealth-State housing agreement is the means by which we will be able to achieve this objective. I am pleased to announce that the ACT will become a full party to the agreement this year. This has been made possible by self-government. Once the negotiations for the new agreement are finalised, we will be introducing legislation to amend the ACT Housing Assistance Act to make it consistent with the new agreement.
This means for the ACT that all Commonwealth funds will be provided as grants; the ACT Government will need to match the funds to get all the grants; more money will be directed towards rental housing for those on the lowest incomes; funds for special housing programs will increase; new home ownership policies will need to be in place by the next financial year; a joint ACT-Commonwealth housing plan will be announced each year and we will consult with the community on its priorities; and the Housing Trust will involve its tenants more in decisions.
The agreement sets the general principles for housing but the ACT Government must decide the details of the policies suitable for Canberra. We have promised that we will provide an annual housing program of 280 dwellings for each of the next four years in order to fulfil our commitment to those most in need. The 1989-90 budget gives effect to the first year of this commitment.
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