Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 29 June 2011:

Given that the 2011-12 Budget provided $100 million in funding for the new Building Better Regional Cities program for ‘local housing infrastructure projects that will help build more affordable homes in high growth regional cities over the next three years’ and that 47 regional cities, with populations over 30 000, have been invited to participate in the program.

(1)   With reference to the program’s website which states ‘funding will only be awarded to cities that provide robust evidence of future jobs growth and can show how many extra affordable homes will be created as a result of the proposed projects’:

  (a)   how will applicants be required to quantify and define the ‘extra affordable homes’ they will deliver, if successful in the application process;

  (b)   in relation to the specific delivery of extra affordable homes, what criteria will be used to assess applications; and

  (c)   how will ‘extra affordable homes’ be measured and reported on as part of this program.

(2)   Will any type of formal housing needs analysis be required from the regional cities as part of their application process.

(3)   Will all forms of tenure, that is, affordable home ownership, affordable rental and social rental, be included in this scheme.

(4)   What are the program targets for housing under each of the following bands identified by the National Affordable Housing Summit:

  (a)   Band A (rent is kept under 25 per cent of tenants’ income);

  (b)   Band B (rent is 20 per cent less than the market rate for at least 10 years); and

  (c)   Band C (home purchase programs for low to moderate incomes).

(5)   Can an outline be provided of the resources allocated to administering this program and the qualifications of staff in the relation to housing affordability.

(6)   With reference to the program’s website which states that ‘Councils will be able to use program funding to invest in local infrastructure projects that support new housing developments, including connecting roads, extensions to drains and sewers, and community infrastructure such as parks and community centres’: can an outline be provided as to why funds should be provided for roads, drains, parks and community centres, when typically these are the responsibility of the developer to provide.