Ms FINOCCHIARO - 2013-05-14
Territorians want a sustainable land release strategy and better targeted housing assistance products that will help them buy their own homes while reducing pressure on the rental market by encouraging supply growth. Did you consider this when framing the budget? What challenges need to be overcome to meet the aspirations of Territorians wanting to buy a home?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale for this important question and acknowledge her significant interest in this area.
Not only did the former failed Labor Treasurer leave us with a debt legacy creeping up to $5.5bn and interest repayments of $1.1m every day, the former government did nothing to speed up land release and assist people to build and buy their own homes. For much of Labor’s tenure - right until the end - the Territory was in accommodation crisis with the most excessive costs in Australia: the highest housing costs, the highest rental costs, the highest everything. The former Labor government failed on every front to do with housing.
The member for Drysdale asked me what this government is doing in relation to housing. Budget 2013-14 will show that under the Real Housing for Growth plan, we will stimulate construction for affordable housing, which is what Territorians are crying out for. The Real Housing for Growth plan will allow government to partner with private developers to facilitate the construction of a number of affordable homes over the next four years. I congratulate the Minister for Housing for the efforts he has made over the last few months to get that money out the door and have land made available. We already have the biggest land release program in the last 10 or 15 years in the …
Ms Lawrie: It is Labor’s. The only land you are releasing is Labor’s land.
Mr TOLLNER: Labor did it? That is right. For more than a decade we had a housing crisis. Now, all of a sudden, Labor did something. Goodness me, grow up lady! You failed Territorians. We have a housing crisis in the Northern Territory and you are suggesting you fixed it? You caused it. You failed to release land. You failed to do anything to stimulate the construction industry. You let Territorians down. We now have the most expensive houses in the country.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Have you seen the price of land escalate in Palmerston over the last six months?
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, there is no point of order.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, the truth hurts. This is a bad day for the Opposition Leader. More than a decade of failure is catching up with you today and your legacy is laid bare for all Territorians to see.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Drysdale for this important question and acknowledge her significant interest in this area.
Not only did the former failed Labor Treasurer leave us with a debt legacy creeping up to $5.5bn and interest repayments of $1.1m every day, the former government did nothing to speed up land release and assist people to build and buy their own homes. For much of Labor’s tenure - right until the end - the Territory was in accommodation crisis with the most excessive costs in Australia: the highest housing costs, the highest rental costs, the highest everything. The former Labor government failed on every front to do with housing.
The member for Drysdale asked me what this government is doing in relation to housing. Budget 2013-14 will show that under the Real Housing for Growth plan, we will stimulate construction for affordable housing, which is what Territorians are crying out for. The Real Housing for Growth plan will allow government to partner with private developers to facilitate the construction of a number of affordable homes over the next four years. I congratulate the Minister for Housing for the efforts he has made over the last few months to get that money out the door and have land made available. We already have the biggest land release program in the last 10 or 15 years in the …
Ms Lawrie: It is Labor’s. The only land you are releasing is Labor’s land.
Mr TOLLNER: Labor did it? That is right. For more than a decade we had a housing crisis. Now, all of a sudden, Labor did something. Goodness me, grow up lady! You failed Territorians. We have a housing crisis in the Northern Territory and you are suggesting you fixed it? You caused it. You failed to release land. You failed to do anything to stimulate the construction industry. You let Territorians down. We now have the most expensive houses in the country.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Have you seen the price of land escalate in Palmerston over the last six months?
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, there is no point of order.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, the truth hurts. This is a bad day for the Opposition Leader. More than a decade of failure is catching up with you today and your legacy is laid bare for all Territorians to see.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016