Page 4301 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 27 November 2013
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MR BARR: I do not have that information in front of me. I would need to look at the individual circumstances of each of the applicants. I do not have that information in front of me and I am not in a position to answer the question today.
Mr Smyth: Will you take it on notice?
MADAM SPEAKER: Sorry, are you taking that on notice?
MR BARR: I have answered the question.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Minister, what has been the feedback from those who have taken up the land rent scheme?
MR BARR: Overwhelmingly positive. People certainly appreciate the opportunity to take part in what is an innovative scheme designed to assist those on low and middle incomes into home ownership. It is a scheme, I note, that has been opposed by those opposite throughout. That is disappointing but does reflect a world view from those opposite that low and middle income earners do not deserve support into home ownership. We see this consistently with their approach not only to this policy issue but to the range of other interventions the government has undertaken in the marketplace in order to ensure that there are a range of housing options accessible to Canberrans on low and middle incomes. Their hostility to public housing, community housing, to the land rent scheme and to the various incentives that are put in place by the government to promote more affordable housing, their opposition to increases in supply of housing in particular locations, and the campaigns that have been run by those opposite in order to ensure that there are not new affordable housing properties built in certain areas of the city—
Mr Hanson: That is misleading.
MADAM SPEAKER: Withdraw that, Mr Hanson.
MR BARR: are noted and recognised—
MADAM SPEAKER: Stop the clock. Mr Hanson, could you withdraw the accusation of “misleading”.
Mr Hanson: I withdraw.
MR BARR: The opposition from the Liberal Party to a wide range of initiatives is well known and understood by all of those who advocate for an increase in supply. Whether that is in public housing or community housing, or whether that is in tax reform to make housing more affordable by getting rid of stamp duty, those opposite are doing everything they can to increase the price of housing in this city, to make it more and more unaffordable. They want to see stamp duty triple over the next two decades. That is what would happen with their policies. (Time expired.)
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