Ms MOSS - 2015-04-30
Budget 2014-15 committed to building 94 new social housing dwellings. Budget 2015-16 shows you will only build 18 of them. How can Territorians have any confidence that you will deliver the promised 74 new social housing dwellings in this year’s budget?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Casuarina for her question because I would like to work with her to make sure we deliver housing properly for Northern Territorians. I am glad the member has asked me what this government is doing about housing in the Territory.
Budget 2015-16 provides an allocation of $322m, the biggest ever housing budget in the Territory’s history. It also provides $76m more than Labor’s last budget for housing. This will deliver housing across the Territory, allowing this government to provide the right house in the right place at the right time for eligible Territorians.
We are committed to looking after all Territorians. One way we are doing this is through Real Housing for Growth. This program supports the attraction and retention of key low- to middle-income workers in the Northern Territory, such as childcare workers and hospitality or retail staff. Through our program we are building 2000 new affordable dwellings for rental and home ownership. Over 488 affordable rental and home ownership dwellings have been delivered as of 31 March 2015 …
Ms MOSS: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. I was asking about the 74 new social housing dwellings in Budget 2014-15 which have now come up in Budget 2015-16.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Casuarina.
Mr ELFERINK: Speaking to the point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! This is not a point of order; this is just a revisit of the question the minister is answering.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, can you come to the point of the question, please?
Mrs PRICE: Another 500 dwellings are under construction across the Territory. Two of these developments are in one of our fastest-growing areas of Palmerston. The developments at 89 and 100 Farrar Boulevard, Palmerston consist of 14 units and 23 units respectively. We have had at least 37 of the privately-owned Farrar Boulevard units for a term of 10 years. In Alice Springs, 25 units have been recently completed in Larapinta and are now available for eligible tenants. Another 20 dwellings in Heavitree Gap will be available in the second half of 2015.
This program is already seeing success. Last week I met a young single mum in Palmerston who has returned to the workforce. Through the Real Housing for Growth program she was able to get a home for herself and her two children. She was just over the income threshold for public housing, and because of this program she did not have to sacrifice her career or make job choices to reduce her income to get a house.
I also note that a recent Anglicare rental affordability snapshot found that rents have gone down by …
Ms MOSS: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! It was a very direct question; 95 houses were committed in the 2014 budget and only 18 of them were built in the 2015 budget. How can we have confidence the 74 new social housing dwellings will be built?
Mr ELFERINK: Speaking to the point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. If she does not like the answer then it is a matter for her to raise later in debate.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I understand. Minister you have 15 seconds to go.
Mrs PRICE: Across the Territory rent has gone down by 21% per week. We said we would drive the cost of living down and we have succeeded, first with the cost of petrol and now a plan for the cost of rent. That is extra cash every week back in the pockets of Territorians. This proves that our programs are working.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Casuarina for her question because I would like to work with her to make sure we deliver housing properly for Northern Territorians. I am glad the member has asked me what this government is doing about housing in the Territory.
Budget 2015-16 provides an allocation of $322m, the biggest ever housing budget in the Territory’s history. It also provides $76m more than Labor’s last budget for housing. This will deliver housing across the Territory, allowing this government to provide the right house in the right place at the right time for eligible Territorians.
We are committed to looking after all Territorians. One way we are doing this is through Real Housing for Growth. This program supports the attraction and retention of key low- to middle-income workers in the Northern Territory, such as childcare workers and hospitality or retail staff. Through our program we are building 2000 new affordable dwellings for rental and home ownership. Over 488 affordable rental and home ownership dwellings have been delivered as of 31 March 2015 …
Ms MOSS: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. I was asking about the 74 new social housing dwellings in Budget 2014-15 which have now come up in Budget 2015-16.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Casuarina.
Mr ELFERINK: Speaking to the point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! This is not a point of order; this is just a revisit of the question the minister is answering.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, can you come to the point of the question, please?
Mrs PRICE: Another 500 dwellings are under construction across the Territory. Two of these developments are in one of our fastest-growing areas of Palmerston. The developments at 89 and 100 Farrar Boulevard, Palmerston consist of 14 units and 23 units respectively. We have had at least 37 of the privately-owned Farrar Boulevard units for a term of 10 years. In Alice Springs, 25 units have been recently completed in Larapinta and are now available for eligible tenants. Another 20 dwellings in Heavitree Gap will be available in the second half of 2015.
This program is already seeing success. Last week I met a young single mum in Palmerston who has returned to the workforce. Through the Real Housing for Growth program she was able to get a home for herself and her two children. She was just over the income threshold for public housing, and because of this program she did not have to sacrifice her career or make job choices to reduce her income to get a house.
I also note that a recent Anglicare rental affordability snapshot found that rents have gone down by …
Ms MOSS: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! It was a very direct question; 95 houses were committed in the 2014 budget and only 18 of them were built in the 2015 budget. How can we have confidence the 74 new social housing dwellings will be built?
Mr ELFERINK: Speaking to the point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. If she does not like the answer then it is a matter for her to raise later in debate.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I understand. Minister you have 15 seconds to go.
Mrs PRICE: Across the Territory rent has gone down by 21% per week. We said we would drive the cost of living down and we have succeeded, first with the cost of petrol and now a plan for the cost of rent. That is extra cash every week back in the pockets of Territorians. This proves that our programs are working.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016