Canberra Liberals: Housing

The Canberra Liberals have announced a plan to deliver 125,000 new homes by 2050, to improve housing choice and affordability.

The Liberals would turn the Kowen Forest commercial pine plantation into an urban district and town centre. They would begin residential development at Symonston; unlock former CSIRO Ginninderra land for housing; accelerate land release in suburbs under development such as Macnamara, Whitlam and Kenny; and auction ‘over the counter’ land blocks in Jacka and Whitlam, with 10 per cent reserved for first home buyers at 75 per cent of market value.

To increase density, the Liberals would allow dual occupancies on larger suburban blocks (800m²+); promote residential development in commercial precincts (CZ2 and CZ3); and fast-track planning approvals for the Thoroughbred Park redevelopment.

They would protect the ecologically significant Western Edge from future development.

10 per cent of all new developments would be reserved for social housing, offering a mix of standalone housing, apartments, townhouses, duplexes and terraces.

The Liberals state that the plan would address the housing crisis, for which they blamed Labor-Greens, and could generate more than $900 million in revenue.

“The ACT Labor-Greens government has completely failed when it comes to providing genuine housing choice,” opposition leader Elizabeth Lee said. “As a result, Canberra is in a housing crisis.

“An accelerated release of land will help alleviate supply issues imposed by the Labor-Greens Government, make housing more affordable, and increase choice for the type of home Canberrans want to live in.”

Peter Cain, Shadow Minister for Planning and Land Management, emphasised balancing urban densification with preserving Canberra’s character as the Bush Capital and Garden City. Canberrans, he said, prefer infill and urban renewal, rather than despoiling the character of quiet suburban streets.

“We need big, bold ideas to address the unprecedented housing affordability and supply crisis the ACT is experiencing in large part due to the Labor-Greens Government,” Mr Cain said. “The Canberra Liberals are offering Canberrans a fresh opportunity to have a government that will help, not hinder, their pursuit of home ownership in the ACT.”

The Canberra Liberals promise further announcements on social and community housing before the election.

The Real Estate Institute of the ACT (REIACT) was pleased that the Liberals’ policy offered a range of new housing options for Canberrans, including desperately needed free-standing homes for the growing population.

“The affordability of blocks of land has been a barrier to entry for many first home buyers,” CEO Maria Edwards said. “There is definitely supply there in existing suburbs such as Whitlam and Jacka, but they are marketed at a price that, once you add construction costs on, makes it very difficult for a young family or downsizer to afford. A steady supply of new construction projects will attract workers and investment in the ACT, and underpin the economy for years to come.”

The Property Council of Australia welcomed the Canberra Liberals’ commitment to enable separate titles on RZ1 blocks over 800 square metres and the promise to accelerate the release of land and streamline the planning process.

However, the Property Council said the proposed development of Kowen Forest needed further examination.

“Bulldozing Kowen Forest could raise concerns for many in the community,” Property Council ACT & Capital Region executive director Ashlee Berry said. “It’s crucial that any decision about the site involves a full exploration of its long-term impacts.

“Community consultation and a comprehensive feasibility study would be essential to balance housing needs with environmental and recreational values.”

Master Builders ACT said the construction industry was ready to construct necessary housing where land is prepared for development. Acting CEO Ziad Zakout said: “Regardless of how the next ACT Government is formed, this needs to be backed by a plan that identifies the right kind of land in order to deliver the much-needed housing for Canberra’s growing population and meet our National Housing Accord targets.” 

The ACT Greens criticised the Canberra Liberals’ urban planning approach, comparing it to playing the computer game SimCity.

“The plan the Liberals have put forward today lacks any sort of creative thinking to adapt our city to the needs of our growing population,” deputy leader Rebecca Vassarotti said. “They have put very little thought into how we can use smart, modern design standards to give Canberrans what they need without simply bulldozing around the edges.”

Greens planning spokeswoman Jo Clay said that the Liberals’ plans for urban sprawl, including bulldozing Kowen Forest, disregard ecological concerns, isolate residents 30 km from the city, and would be expensive to build ($60,000 more per dwelling, because of building new roads, sewerage, and services.

The Greens say they would build 95,000 homes near schools, shops, and services; build a new suburb on the racecourse site, with 5,000 homes connected to light rail; and promote infill development.

The Belco Party, on the other hand, said that the use of Kowen Forest for development was a sensible approach.

“The Belco party welcomes any policy which will help provide a mix of stand-alone homes, units, duplexes, shared blocks and incentives for first home buyers,” co-convenor and former housing minister Bill Stefaniak said.

Although the Belco Party would not rule out housing west of the Murrumbidgee, “the areas selected by the Liberals are logical and deserve support,” Mr Stefaniak said.

The Belco Party will soon release its policy on affordable housing for first-time buyers.

Peter Strong (Strong Independents) praised the Liberals’ housing plan as comprehensive, providing assistance to first-home buyers and increasing social housing. “Well done to the Libs in this case.” He urged the Liberals to provide more details on the plan’s budget and environmental impact.

However, because the plan was long-term, Mr Strong warned that without an independent crossbench, big developers could torpedo the plan and take control of the agenda for their own financial gain.

Independents for Canberra candidate David Pollard said the Liberals’ 25-year plan for a new district was “an ambitious idea that deserves scrutiny and proper assessment, not a knee-jerk response from Labor, Greens, or Independents in the height of an election campaign”. The Independents’ policy for a Future Generations Act (announced earlier this week), he thought, would ensure that issues like these not “decided in a 30-day election window”.

“Upzoning and infill is obviously a huge part of the solution to Canberra’s housing crisis, but proposing 125,000 new dwellings cannot be ignored,” Mr Pollard said. “The commitment for 10 per cent of all new housing developments to be reserved for social housing speaks to our policy of establishing a social housing funding trigger. Any housing policy must prioritise reducing our public housing wait list, which has grown by 80 per cent in the last six years alone.

“I’ve seen how Gungahlin was developed over the decades. The community was screaming out about issues we all saw coming, but nobody was listening. If it is time to start that process again, community-based independents in the Assembly are a critical piece of the puzzle. It’s time the community was trusted to be a genuine part of these conversations.”

Independents for Canberra’s leader, Thomas Emerson, supported developing Kowen over the Western Edge – “If the choice is between developing the Western Edge and Kowen Forest, I’d choose Kowen every day of the week” – but called for the Liberals’ proposal to align with long-term planning for active and public transport.

“Establishing a Future Generations Commissioner, as we’ve proposed, will ensure the right questions are asked about urban sprawl,” Mr Emerson said.

ACT Labor: Maternity

ACT Labor has promised to enhance maternity services and support for families.

Labor would partner with Roundabout Canberra to provide Baby Bundles with essential items and information for first-time parents; hire more midwives and expand the continuity of care program across the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children and the North Canberra Hospital;  and increase access to parenting programs and playgroups for parents with diverse needs, disability, and culturally and linguistically diverse families.

Labor’s maternity package also includes a perinatal mental health residential unit; an early pregnancy unit and Birth Centre at the Northside Hospital; a birth companion program at the Canberra Hospital; a Birthing on Country program for First Nations families; and a low-cost public IVF service.

Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee criticised Labor’s maternity package as a last-minute effort. In her view, it was “incredibly disappointing” that after being in power for 23 years, the Labor-Greens government had only now announced such support, a month before the election.

She pointed out that the Canberra Liberals had announced their IVF policy months ago (in April) to help families facing both the “heartbreaking journey” and “financial impost” of accessing fertility services.

Ms Lee also questioned the lack of costings and detail in Labor’s announcement.

Independents for Canberra candidate Sneha KC praised Labor’s focus on improving maternity services, but said parents in Yerrabi need more localised support.

“Facilities like the Ngunnawal Child and Health Clinic are essential for regular check-ups, but night time care is non-existent, often leaving mothers with newborns forced to present at emergency departments,” Sneha KC said. “Key issues related to postnatal care like settling babies, breastfeeding, and mental health should be addressed locally to reduce the stress on young families.

“The Baby Bundle is a thoughtful gesture, but what young families in Yerrabi really need are accessible after-hours pharmacies and reliable GPs, especially when a child is sick. Currently, after-hours GPs are promoted but often unavailable, leaving families with limited options.

“What we really need is round-the-clock maternal and child services in each electorate. In Yerrabi, the new ‘nappy valley’, the need for maternal and child services is particularly urgent.”

The ACT Greens will soon announce their plan for a freestanding birth centre, which Jo Clay MLA says would keep people out of hospital, reduce unnecessary medical interventions, and better support midwives. Ms Clay said the city’s two hospital-based birth-centres are overcrowded.

Emma Davidson MLA called for free access to IVF services, and said the Greens would evaluate the findings of a scoping study to ensure the most accessible and inclusive reproductive healthcare options for Canberra.