Today the Greens have welcomed the ACT Government’s purchase of the eastern section of the former CSIRO Ginninderra station, saying the site presents a major opportunity to deliver the kind of affordable public housing Canberra needs.
Greens Spokesperson for Housing, Rebecca Vassarotti, said that now the government has taken responsibility for purchasing the site, it must also recognise its role in delivering at least ten per cent of the site as price-capped affordable public housing.
“For years, Canberrans have seen this government talk a big game when it comes to affordable housing. But no amount of convenient wording or flashy media stunts will distract from the reality that for Canberrans doing it tough, rent is too damn high.
“This government all too often outsources responsibility for delivering on cheaper rentals for everyday people, which is exactly why their over-reliance on affordable housing as a fix to the housing crisis is already failing thousands of Canberrans.
“For a Canberran on a median wage, ‘affordable’ housing by this government’s definition will still swallow nearly a third of their paycheck. Back in the 1990s, that number was just fifteen per cent. To call this progress is dishonest and embarrassing.
“The fact is, working people in this city need affordability by more than just name and spin. They deserve real affordable public housing where the rent you pay is directly attached to the income you earn-not attached to an out-of-reach market figure.
“If this government is serious about standing up for the working people who keep Canberra running, then this CSIRO land-deal is a critical test. That’s why the Greens are calling on the government to publicly commit: make at-least ten per cent of this site genuinely affordable, public housing-because nothing less will tackle this crisis.”
ACT Greens Leader Jo Clay MLA said Ginninderra East provides an opportunity to set a new standard for sustainable and inclusive urban development.
“A great suburb is about more than housing. Canberrans need public transport, walking and cycling connections, schools, parks, community facilities and local services,” Ms Clay said.
“For years, the Greens have consistently argued that if this site is developed, it should deliver genuine public and community housing alongside the transport, services and infrastructure people need.
“We also want to see the community involved early in the planning process, so public and community housing become a defining feature of the new suburb rather than an afterthought.”
Ms Clay said the success of Ginninderra East should ultimately be measured by who is able to live there.
“The real test isn’t how many homes are built, but whether or not a single parent or someone who has spent years waiting for public housing can afford to call this community home.”
