Page 2223 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 3 August 2016
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MS BERRY: I have not been advised of any other organisations that have had any difficulties because of a move.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, what role did officers in your directorate play in establishing the UC sports hub?
MADAM SPEAKER: I am sorry, could you repeat that? I did not hear the beginning.
MR COE: The question was: what role did officers in your directorate play in establishing the UC sports hub?
MS BERRY: I will have to take that question on notice and come back to the member with more information.
Budget—rates increases
MS LAWDER: Madam Speaker, my question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, why have you chosen to drastically increase residential rates charges on residents of multi-unit dwellings?
MR BARR: I thank Ms Lawder for the question. In essence, the change in methodology is around fairness, designed to ensure that as the mix of housing types—
Members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! I want to hear the Chief Minister.
MR BARR: As the mix of housing types in the city changes, we have seen considerable change in the housing mix from the Canberra of 50 years ago to the Canberra of today where certainly there are more people living in apartments and townhouses than was the case in the 1960s and 1970s. That change in housing mix has resulted in a disparity and an unfairness whereby people who were living in stand-alone houses were paying more than their fair share of the total rates burden. A fairer system that changed the methodology of calculation on the average unimproved value of units and townhouses ensures that into the future houses will pay less and units will pay a little more, to more fairly distribute the rates burden.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Ms Lawder.
MS LAWDER: Chief Minister, did you take into account the impact of your rates increase on residents of multi-unit dwellings who will now be compelled to meet steep increases in property rentals?
MR BARR: Yes, we certainly did, and that is why we are phasing in the change over a number of years and why the impact of the change in dollar terms is a little over $100 a year, around $2 a week.
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