Page 3985 - Week 09 - Thursday, 25 August 2011
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(6) When will the Government announce initiatives or take action on its short term accommodation strategy once it is completed in December 2011.
Ms Gallagher: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1)(a) Funding for the Affordable Housing initiative in the 2011-12 Budget includes support for recommendations under Phase 2 of the Affordable Housing Action Plan which relate to increasing the supply and diversity of accommodation options for older Canberrans.
(1)(b) The Lease Variation Charge (previously referred to as the change of use charge) has been in place for a very long time. The codes to be applicable from 1 July 2011 are based on market values, and have been reviewed by a panel with representatives from the Australian Property Institute (API).
The Member would be aware that before 2010, a practice of low fixed fees being applied to dual occupancy, townhouse and multi unit development was in place. The Government has provided transition arrangements with generous remissions for the residential sector to adjust. There is no evidence that the benefits of the low fees were being passed on to homebuyers. Since the rectification of the system in May 2010, there is no evidence of a systematic drop in the supply of dwellings.
The Government provides a range of assistance for both the young and elderly in the housing market. This includes initiatives within the Affordable Housing Action Plan such as the Pensioner Duty Concession Scheme and the Home Buyers Concession Scheme
(1)(c) There has been a significant increase in the supply of older persons housing for public housing tenants. This has been principally achieved through the Nation Building Jobs Plan Initiative with housing for older people being provided on community facilities sites in Bonython, Chapman, Conder, Curtin, Florey, Kambah, Macquarie and Rivett.
Housing ACT also has a program of modifying public housing properties which allow people to remain in the home they are living in. This ageing in place, gives people the opportunity to continue to live in the community they have established over time.
Where Housing ACT constructs public housing it ensures that the dwellings are constructed to adaptable and/or accessible requirements. This improves the flexibility of the properties, so that they can be used by a broader range of public housing tenants and allows tenants to age in place.
(1)(d) Support of housing options for the elderly is measured by the Economic Development Directorate through two means. Firstly the Land Release Program in which sites are specifically identified for the purpose of housing for the aged, and secondly through the Government’s Affordable Housing Action Plan.
In the case of the Land Release Program, support is measured by the number of sites and corresponding site yields for either independent living units or supported accommodation. By way of example, there were 254 dwelling sites released for aged care in the 2010/11 financial year.
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