The ACT Greens have called for a comprehensive examination of housing affordability options in the ACT.

“Housing affordability is not just about the supply of new land, there are issues of the type of housing and what we’re doing with our current stock,” Greens planning spokesperson, Caroline Le Couteur MLA, said today.

“The Government’s silver bullet of a big land release announced today has been seen before, and yet we find ourselves in the same situation.

“As well as land releases we should be looking at offering a wider range of accommodation options, to suit the needs of younger, single people without private transport – not just looking at accommodation for families.

“I would like to see the Government work on more innovative housing solutions such as terrace housing, more varied aged care, student housing or smaller secondary dwellings such as granny flats. This is one way to better utilise our existing housing stock.

“Australia is now building the largest new homes in the world. Bigger houses cost more to build and more to run.”

Recent Comsec data shows our new homes are an average size of 214.6 m2. In contrast, new homes in the United States (which used to be the biggest in the world) average 201 m2 while the United Kingdom average only 76 m2.

“These large houses are generally built on Greenfield sites which tend to have poor services such as no buses, schools or shops when they are built.

“The Government should also be ensuring a high level of energy efficiency, proper solar orientation, and providing public transport from the outset.

“It’s crucial that the ACT gets our new housing developments right, particularly in the Molonglo Valley, in order to ensure ongoing affordability as well as meeting our greenhouse gas targets,” said Ms Le Couteur.

ACT Greens MLA for Brindabella Amanda Bresnan has called for the Government to act now on boosting the supply of affordable rental housing in the ACT.

“The rental crisis looks worse in Canberra this year, despite the economic slump, and ACT Government action is needed,” Ms Bresnan said today.

“The Parliamentary Agreement the ACT Government made with the Greens includes a boost to public housing, and increased support for affordable private rental housing.”

“I am aware that the COAG meeting last year included some commonwealth funds for social housing. The ACT Government should match this federal money with its own and invest in some new public housing stock in the proposed February stimulus package.”

“At a time of housing industry slow down, more public investment makes sense.”

“The ACT Government also agreed to look at land tax concessions on homes that are rented to low income households.”

The ACT Greens-ALP Parliamentary Agreement requires the Government to develop such a scheme by 2010.

“The economic down turn and the threatened flight of housing investors suggests that this option be fast tracked in time for the 2009/10 budget.”

“Finally, the ACT Government could also consider investing some of its superannuation funds into public or community housing too. After all, chances are we would get a better return on bricks and mortar than we would in investing in equities,” Ms Bresnan said.

ACT Greens lead candidate for Ginninderra Meredith Hunter has argued that the way to make housing more affordable in Canberra is through improved planning and design.

“Housing sustainability and affordability are closely linked’ Ms Hunter said today, “particularly for people living on limited incomes.”

“Homes that are cheaper to buy or rent, but which are not water and energy efficient, and are not well served by rapid transit and local facilities are not in reality affordable.”

“After the October election, the ACT Greens will focus on making sure housing development served by strong public transport links and local retail and community facilities.”

“All new housing should have clothes lines, solar hot water units, good insulation, and access to the sun. That can all be done affordably, so while the building costs are no more, the living costs are much less.”

“The high cost of housing is in part the result of federal policies (such as taxation, home owner subsidies and rental rebates), but there are things that can be done locally.”

“After much pushing by the Greens and key NGOs, last year the ACT Government finally put an affordable housing Action Plan in place. Other Greens initiatives to add to that plan include:

• A means tested stamp duty concession to help first home buyers who need support;
• land tax concessions on homes rented at affordable rates to low income families; and
• increased investment in community and public housing right across Canberra, funded in part through superannuation.

“The bottom line however is the cost of living. Mortgages and interest rates are a part of that equation; energy, water and travel costs are the other” Ms Hunter said.