Page 884 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 21 March 2018
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to the Canberra housing supply. I am proud to see, particularly in my electorate of Yerrabi, the construction of myriad differently styled dwellings on the market, such as apartments, townhouses and stand-alone homes. These all suit the different needs of our growing population.
The ACT government’s light rail project will also encourage increased density along the light rail corridor, which is essential for Canberra’s expansion and growth. By doing so, we will ensure that Canberra does not grow exponentially outward and will ensure that increased public transport options are more viable. The data on multi-unit projects in planning and under construction show quite clearly the impact that light rail has on improving housing supply in the ACT. From 2011 to 2013, the years prior to the approval of light rail, the number of multi-unit dwellings in planning and under construction had remained relatively stable. From 2015, immediately after approval, these numbers grew to more than double what they were prior to light rail being approved. This has directly led to an increase in construction activity from 2016 onwards.
I am sure that my fellow MLAs from Yerrabi—a couple of them are here in the chamber with me—could attest to the fact there are cranes right along the horizon as we head into the Assembly every day. This activity is obviously good for jobs and good for local businesses. It is also putting downward pressure on unit prices.
Increasing the density in the town centres will also mean that services are more streamlined and effective as our population grows. Increased density will also ensure that people do not get priced out of areas close to the CBD. This means more townhouses and apartments and will allow more Canberrans to find affordable living along transport corridors.
To ensure that housing remains affordable and accessible to all Canberrans, we are committed to a mix of housing types. This includes public, affordable, community and privately owned, which will help to promote social inclusion and cohesion in our community.
As the motion highlights, on top of this broader housing policy, our government continues to commit to affordable public and community housing for the most disadvantaged members of our community. Currently, Canberra has the lowest public housing wait list of all jurisdictions as a proportion of total stock. On top of this, the rate of people receiving accommodation support services in the ACT is triple the national average, which means that people are accessing and receiving intensive support to address the issues that cause homelessness.
Our priority is to focus on the 1,700 homeless Canberrans currently living in supported accommodation, couch surfing, living in an overcrowded dwelling or sleeping rough. Alongside this group there are 7,000 Canberra households who currently spend more than 30 per cent of their income on rent and are therefore facing severe housing stress. To help combat this problem, over the current financial year our government will release 530 dwelling sites for public housing, community housing, affordable home purchase and land rent. Of these, 54 dwellings are for additional public housing, 89 dwellings are for public housing renewal, 353 dwellings are for
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