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

asked the Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness, upon notice , on 4 April 2011:

With reference to an agreement made in March 2008 by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) to move towards a national regulatory framework for 'growth' community housing providers, to be implemented by 2012:

(1) Can an update be provided as to where this process is up to.

(2) To date, is there any indication of the kind of regulatory model that will be adopted.

(3) Can an outline be provided of the consultative process that has taken place with the community housing sector.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

(1) In December 2010, Housing Ministers' agreed to six core elements of a new regulatory system:

The national regulatory system is being developed by officials out of session of the Housing Ministers' Conference. A Blueprint is being negotiated which will include an agreement committing all jurisdictions to the development and implementation of the system. The Blueprint will also include governance arrangements, system specifications for the legislation and a national regulatory code.

The Chair of the Housing Ministers' Advisory Committee has written to key stakeholders inviting them to participate in a consultative forum to provide expert advice on the development of the national regulatory system.

(2) All Housing Ministers' have agreed to the development of a national regulatory system through legislation to be enacted in one state and either applied or adopted by other states and territories.

The Blueprint is intended to commit all jurisdictions to the development and implementation of the national regulatory system, governance arrangements, system specifications for the legislation and regulations, and a national regulatory code.

(3) In May 2010, following the release of the Commonwealth's Discussion Paper, more than 280 people participated in public consultation sessions held in all capital cities as well as Newcastle, Wollongong and Cairns. Workshops were held with Indigenous community Housing Organisations, church groups and the banking and development sectors. In addition, 65 written submissions were received.

A consultative forum of key stakeholders is being established. It will consist of representatives from the not-for-profit housing, finance and property development sectors, and tenant advocates. This group will discuss the principles and objective of the system and provide expert opinion on system specification issues. Wider consultation will commence during the second half of 2011.