Housing

Construction

The collapse of five building companies in the ACT since September has left thousands of Canberrans uncertain whether their homes would be built, affecting around 50 projects and leaving millions of dollars owed to creditors, according to the Canberra Liberals.

Opposition leader Elizabeth Lee criticised the government for burdening the industry with excessive regulations. She referred to comments by Master Builders ACT that as a result of the ACT Government last year introducing 125 new pieces of legislation or rules that impact the building industry, house construction costs in the ACT increased by 13.3 per cent, more than three times the national average increase (4.1 per cent); and residential building approvals were at least 25 per cent below the ACT’s five-year average. The MBA had warned that without increased housing supply, the ACT’s housing affordability crisis would persist. The ACT also provided the lowest training subsidies for apprentice carpenters and plumbers in the country.

Ms Lee called on the ACT Government to implement comprehensive regulatory impact statements for new legislation that involves compliance costs for business; refer current legislation to the Better Regulation; ensure timely payments to contractors; and increase funding for skills training in the 2024-25 budget.

Despite Ms Lee’s motion failing, the ACT Government plans to convene a roundtable to address financial stress in the construction industry.

Tara Cheyne, Minister for Government Services and Regulatory Reform, said the ACT Government was working with the industry to address supply chain disruptions and labour shortages, rising interest rates that reduced borrowing capacity and changed demand for new homes, and fixed-price contracts – issues that were not unique to the ACT – and to assess the impact of regulatory and compliance requirements.

Master Builders ACT CEO Michael Hopkins said: “The local building and construction sector is currently experiencing extremely difficult economic conditions and regulatory environment.

“It is vitally important that the ACT Government do everything within its control to support the 6,500 local businesses and 20,000 Canberrans that work in the industry.

“If the ACT Government is to improve the support it provides to local construction businesses, then it must start by demonstrating an understanding of the current stresses and pressures the industry is facing including the high regulatory burden created by the Government itself.

“We are hopeful that the planned construction industry roundtable is an opportunity for key Ministers to better understand the issues our industry is currently facing.”

Renting legislation reforms

The Housing and Consumer Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, introduced this week, allows victims of domestic and family violence to end tenancies quickly and without penalty; introduces mandatory break-lease fee clauses that limit how much tenants must pay if they end a tenancy early; implements nationally agreed fundraising principles, reducing red tape for charities; removes licencing requirements for employment agents; empowers the Commissioner for Fair Trading to fine businesses that skip conciliations for low value consumer claims; and streamlines rental processes for share-house tenants and landlords.

Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said the bill ensures strong protections for renters, and removes unnecessary regulatory burdens for charities and recruitment companies.

Joel Dignam, executive director of tenant advocacy organisation Better Renting, said: “It’s positive to see these changes to make it for victim-survivors to get out of a dangerous situation with being penalised by their landlord.

“On the other hand, the changes to the break lease clause may make things worse. Rather than simply capping the total amount of compensation renters could be liable for when breaking a fixed-term tenancy, this bill specifies a minimum fee that renters must pay, which might end up being reduced if the property is re-tenanted promptly.

“It’s reasonable that a lessor receive some compensation if tenants break a fixed-term tenancy, but this feels like a clumsy and complex approach that, in some cases, will result in windfall gains for lessors, at the expense of renters.”

Rent freeze bill fails

ACT Greens MLA Jo Clay’s motion for a two-year freeze on rent, a ban on rent bidding, and stopping big rent increases between leases –  similar to the Australian Greens’ call for a national rent freeze – failed to pass the Legislative Assembly. Both ACT Labor and the Canberra Liberals voted it down, to Ms Clay’s chagrin.

“Renters are in crisis,” Ms Clay said. “In simply dismissing the bill, Labor and the Liberals have shown they are more interested in the bottom line of investor landlords than keeping a roof over renters’ heads.”

Mr Dignam regretted that the bill did not pass.

“When looking for a home, renters should be able to secure an affordable home and then not be pushed out down the line by exorbitant rent increases,” he said.

“This bill would have helped to achieve that, by stopping rent bidding and simplifying and improving protections against rent increases.

“It’s sad that the bill didn’t pass, particularly given that Labor governments in Queensland and Victoria have already indicated their commitment to stop all forms of rent bidding. While the ACT has banned agents from soliciting rental bids, it is still legal to accept inflated bids, and this is what the bill would have tackled.”

Transport

Canberra Liberals MLA Mark Parton, Shadow Minister for Transport, claims the ACT Government is not meeting its bus fleet electrification targets.

The messaging on the electric buses states that they are “one of 106 zero-emissions buses”. Mr Parton maintains that this is “false messaging” and “wildly inaccurate”. There are, he observes, only 12 vehicles, soon to be 16.

In May, the government signed a contract to procure 90 Yutong E12s. In November, the government announced that four new Custom Denning electric buses had arrived in Canberra and would be on the road, but they are still not in service. Non-compliant Renault Diesel buses are still in service, a year after they were meant to be retired.

Acting transport minister Tara Cheyne said that the four Custom Denning buses were being tested after being returned to Custom Denning for remediation due to technical specification issues. The buses have been returned to Canberra. The remaining buses, Ms Cheyne said, are on order.

Mr Parton alleges that the Labor government has no desire to meet their bus fleet electrification targets because they are committed to light rail to Woden, which Mr Parton says will cost more than $4 billion and double the travel time.

Ms Cheyne said that the ACT would have a reliable and fit-for-purpose bus service. The government construct a new Woden bus depot, retrofit Belconnen and Tuggeranong bus stations with electrical charging infrastructure, and conduct feasibility studies for a northside electric depot.

The Canberra Liberals’ transport policy, announced last week, prioritises electric buses.

Health

Government neglecting primary care, Liberals claim

Canberra Liberals MLA Leanne Castley, Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Health, claims the ACT Government is neglecting primary care, and will call on the government to address the ‘crisis’.

The ACT, Ms Castley said, had the lowest ratio of GPs to population among major Australian cities, and, according to Cleanbill, the lowest bulk billing rate in mainland Australia (3.4 per cent), and the highest average out-of-pocket cost to see a GP who didn’t bulk bill ($49.39 for a standard 15-minute consultation). Many practices no longer accepted new patients; and accessing GP services has become increasingly difficult (19 per cent of Canberrans found it hard in 2023, up from 5 per cent in 2020). ‘Membership clinics’, which bulk bill but charge patients membership fees, are appearing in the ACT; one clinic, Cleanbill stated, one of only four clinics that bulkbills patients, charged $120 upfront, the highest in mainland Australia.

Ms Castley said the ACT government’s only plan was its GP payroll tax, which made it more expensive for patients to see doctors, and made the ACT a less competitive place to set up practices.

Health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said it would work with the federal Albanese government to achieve the outcomes of the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce. Most GPs (not 3.4 per cent) bulkbill, the minister claimed.

Abortions

Nurse practitioners and authorised midwives could be able to prescribe abortion medication, which can currently only be done by doctors, under the Health (Improved Abortion Access) Amendment Bill 2024, introduced today.

The Bill will require authorised health professionals who object to providing abortions on religious or other conscientious grounds to refer patients to another practitioner or facility, aligning with other states and territories.

The bill aligns with the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s removal last year of restrictions on health professionals prescribing and dispensing the abortifacient MS-2 Step.

Ms Stephen-Smith said access to safe and legal abortion was a human right, and that the (limited) number of abortion service providers was a barrier to timely access.

Disabled people

Applications are open for the Disability Health Reference Group, an advisory body to ensure the ACT Government and healthcare system addresses disabled people’s health issues.

The group will monitor the implementation of disability health-related strategies, plans and recommendations.

ACT Health is looking for members across all genders, age groups, and forms of disability. Disabled people or their carers who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, LGBTIQ+, or are intellectually disabled are encouraged to apply.

Applications close COB Monday, May 6. For further information and to apply, visit ACT Disability Health Strategy | Health.

Trials

The Crimes Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 makes it an offence for jurors to conduct their own investigations outside of the courtroom, such as through online searches, a practice that can lead to mistrials.

The Bill also introduces majority verdicts in Territory criminal offences: courts may now accept a verdict if 11 out of 12 jurors agree. Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said that this would help to prevent the need for retrials, and emotional strain for alleged victims and defendants.

The Crimes (Disclosure) Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, Mr Rattenbury said, puts clearer rules in place for how the prosecution must disclose evidence in criminal proceedings. Alleged victims can tell the court about the likely effects of using protected confidences (such as counselling records) about sexual assault or family violence.

The ACT’s first dedicated legal service for alleged victims of sexual assault will be delivered by the Women’s Legal Centre and Victim Support ACT.

Night-time economy

The Liquor (Night-Time Economy) Amendment Bill 2024 passed the Assembly today. It was introduced last month to reduce red tape and help licenced businesses take part in the night-time ecnoomy.

From today, more businesses will be able to supply complimentary liquor without a licence. It enshrines in legislation the ACT Government’s commitment to development the ACT’s night-time economy. Any decision under the Liquor Act 2010 must consider the benefits to industry, the community, and the local economy, while also observing harm minimisation and community safety principles.

The Canberra Business Chamber welcomed the passage of the Bill, CEO Greg Harford said.

“Anything that can be done to reduce red tape, compliance requirements and cost is really positive. This is a step in the right direction, and the Chamber welcomes further engagement with Government to help reduce friction and costs so that business can get on with the job of doing business and serving customers.”

Reforms relating to extended trading hours, interim liquor licences, and a reduction in annual licence fees for venues that support live music and the arts will begin in July.

“Canberra is building a reputation as Australia’s Arts Capital and a destination of choice for business and tourism alike,” minister Tara Cheyne said. “A strong, vibrant, and diverse night-time economy is essential to the continued growth of our tourism and visitor economy.”