| Description |
xiv, 111 unnumbered page : illustrations ; 25 cm |
| Series |
Parliamentary paper ;no. 2 of 1998 |
|
Parliamentary paper (Australia. Parliament) ; 1998, no. 2
|
| Contents |
Ch. 1. Introduction -- Terms of reference -- Conduct of the inquiry -- The Commonwealth State housing agreement -- Proposed changes to Commonwealth State responsibilities -- Ch. 2. Forms of housing assistance -- Who receives housing assistance? -- Direct and indirect housing assistance -- A taxation reform issue -- What constitutes housing need? -- Public housing waiting lists -- Lack of data -- Affordability benchmarks -- Ch. 3. The CSHA and public housing -- Operation of the CSHA -- Commonwealth state responsibilities -- A needs-based approach to funding the the states? -- The New Zealand experience -- Public housing -- Advantages and disadvantages of public housing -- Changes to the provision of public rental housing -- Views on the proposed changes in the 1996 CSHA -- Ch. 4. Private rental -- Rent assistance -- Criticisms of the rent assistance program -- Consumer satisfaction -- Adequacy of rent assistance -- A regionalised rent assistance formula? -- Extending rent assistance to other tenants -- Rent control -- Tenancy legislation -- Advocacy services -- Consumer rights and responsibilities -- Adequate housing standards -- Boarders and lodgers -- Privacy -- Ch. 5. Groups with special housing needs -- Housing needs of indigenous people -- Housing needs of people with disabilities -- Other special needs groups -- Crisis accommodation and the homeless -- Ch. 6. Possible directions for the future -- The role of community housing -- Visit of community housing projects (ACT) -- Role of local government -- Attracting private investment into low-cost housing -- The effect of negative gearing tax concessions -- Private investment into public or community housing -- Ch. 7. Conclusion -- Is housing assistance effective? -- Balance between funding public housing and rent assistance -- Minority report by government senators -- Minority report by Australian Democrat Senator Lyn Allison -- Appendix 1: Organisations and individuals who presented written publis submissions and additional information to the inquiry -- Appendix 2: Witnesses who appeared before the committee at public hearings -- Appendix 3: Avocacy and support services: summary table |
| Summary |
In the Committee's view, it is not appropriateto decrease the public housing stock before enough data becomes available to enable a realistic assessment of what is the overall level of need for public housing. Until that information is available, a sufficient stock of public housing should be maintained to support those groups identified in this report as having special housing needs. The Committee is strongly supportive of increased assistance for community housing. Although it may cost marginally more than public housing, the Committee believes that the benefits in terms of fostering greater independence and community spirit far outweigh the extra costs. It is therefore of the opinion, that every move should be made by the Commonwealth, as well as the States and Territories (as per Recommendations 21 and 23 of this report) to increase assistance to that sector. Finally, as it looks to the future of housing assistance, the Committee sees a need for governments at all levels to take steps to encourage ways of increasing private sector involvement in social housing. This is not because the Committee sees this as the solution to the problem of the shortage of capital for low-cost housing. Rather, it offers some possibilities for increasing (even if it is gradually and marginally) the pool of available funds for that purpose. The Committee commends those moves and urges others to explore the possibilities |
| Analysis |
Australia overseas comparisons |
|
Commonwealth State Housing Agreement |
|
Federal issue |
|
Financial assistance grants |
|
Housing |
|
Local government |
|
Local government issue |
|
Public housing |
|
Rental property |
|
Social groups |
|
State issue |
| Notes |
"December 1997" |
|
Chairman: Mark Bishop |
|
Also available online |
|
Commonwealth of Australia 1997 |
| Subject |
Housing policy -- Australia.
|
|
Housing -- Australia -- Finance.
|
| Author |
Bishop, Mark (Thomas Mark)
|
| ISSN |
0727-4181 |
| ISBN |
0642251568 |
|
