Housing supply crisis triggers land review

STATE BUDGET

THE State Government will look to increase supply in Tasmania’s housing market with a review of government land holdings.

The review forms part of a new housing incentive package, which includes the previously announced extension to the first home builders grant and changes to stamp duty for house and land packages.

The stamp duty changes will be backdated to May 14 — the day they were announced.

Treasurer Peter Gutwein said the Government had “significant” land holdings and boosting supply could support the housing affordability strategy or the broader housing market.

“I want to stress this process is not about any sort of wholesale privatisation of government land, it is wholly aimed at identifying under-utilised government-owned land that could be made available housing,” he said.

An affordable housing working group will be established between Treasury and Housing Tasmania to undertake the review this year.

The first home builders for grant extension will benefit Hobart couple Jacob Roberts and Katie Hepper, who bought a building block at Dodges Ferry in January, but expected to miss the deadline for the $20,000 boost. Mr Roberts said the extension would re- lieve pressure on the pair, who hope to finish building before the end of next year.

“It will give us the opportunity to explore our options regarding finance and also getting quotes from different builders and actually having a realistic chance of building within the timeframe that we’re looking for,” he said.

Shelter Tasmania executive officer Pattie Chugg said the Government’s $60 million stamp duty windfall should have been used for “alleviating the rental crisis for those being squeezed out of the market”.

Ms Chugg said housing affordability declining and more needed to be done to secure properties for Tasmanians on a low income.

Housing Tasmania will receive $10.4 million in 2017-18 for a capital program that includes buying and building new public housing and $1.5 million for women’s crisis accommodation. The youth accommodation facility in Moonah will receive $800,000 a year for running costs.

Funding for the Government’s affordable housing action plan will continue, with $35 million to be spent over the next two years.