Page 2638 - Week 07 - Thursday, 2 August 2018

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The feedback to date covers a wide range of topics. They include: ageing in place and downsizing; building construction quality and policy; bush capital and garden city; climate and environment; community engagement; evidence base; housing affordability; housing delivery, ownership and rental models; housing density and infill; housing design quality; housing and block options and types; infrastructure planning; neighbourhood amenity, character and design; the planning system in general; strategic planning; suburb-specific comments; and Territory Plan codes and zones.

The topics I have mentioned demonstrate the complexity of housing policy and related challenges facing the ACT as well the diverse range of community participants involved in the consultation process. We have heard so far in this process that a wide range of housing types is desired and needed to suit the needs of the diverse members of our community.

The demonstration housing project is a key element of the broader housing choices paper. The ACT government is committed to the planning and delivery of housing that supports a vibrant, compact and sustainable city. (Time expired.)

MS CHEYNE: Minister, can you provide further detail on the collaboration hub undertaken as part of the housing choices consultation?

MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Ms Cheyne for her supplementary. Following three months of in-depth work by participants, on Saturday, 28 August I was pleased to receive the recommendations from the housing choices collaboration hub about different ways of meeting our city’s housing needs.

Over five sessions, members of our community were directly involved in the collaboration hub. Through their participation in the deliberative democracy process, they shared their views to examine our growing city and consider housing choices in particular. Participants shared their thoughts and viewpoints on topics about planning, housing and development in the ACT. The collaboration hub sessions included a range of experts from across industry and government to support discussions and deliberations on ideas, challenges and opportunities.

This has been a new and bespoke engagement process that provided a genuine opportunity for a wide cross-section of the community to bring their own perspectives and ideas to the table. The topics of discussion have included housing types, affordability and use of zoning. It was great to see the energy and commitment of the participants. Their input will now influence the options the government takes forward into future planning and development.

In March, invitations to participate in the hub were sent to approximately 15,000 randomly selected households. Of those that responded, 38 were selected as independent of government by the newDemocracy Foundation, to form a broad and representative cross-section of Canberrans.


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