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Motion · 5 February 2025

ACT economic perfomance: Impact on housing and construction sector

Wording in the final text came from Jo ClayGreens · Crossbench (3)

In short

Proposed
Ed Cocks brought this motion on 5 February 2025.
Changed
3 changes proposed by Jo Clay; 3 agreed.
Decided
Agreed as changed. No individual votes were recorded, so this doesn't show who supported it.
Final wording
Compared with the original, 42 words taken out and 210 words put in. See every difference
  1. What was proposedEd CocksLiberal · Opposition
    Read the original wording (370 words)

    That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) the ACT was ranked second last in CommSec’s State of the States economic report for the December quarter, falling from second place in 2022; (b) the ACT now ranks second-last in key construction and housing metrics, including: (i) construction work completed; (ii) new owner-occupier housing finance commitments; and (iii) new home building starts; (c) new dwelling starts in the ACT are down nearly 50 percent compared to the decade average, with the time between approval and completion of new houses doubling over the past decade; and (d) construction work fell by 10 percent in the ACT during the past year; (2) further notes: (a) the ACT’s economic performance and credit rating have a direct impact on the Government’s interest bill; (b) the ACT’s credit rating was last downgraded only 16 months ago due to the ACT’s poor budget position and forecast deficits; (c) the ACT’s budget position is expected to run a cash operating deficit for the fourth consecutive year, with financial management weakening due to prolonged fiscal recovery and high debt levels; (d) recent reporting indicates the Government will seek approval for hundreds of millions more in deficit spending; and (e) the ACT’s economic outlook has shifted from stable to negative, with the credit rating expected to fall within the next two years if: (i) the capital account deficit remains above 10 percent of total revenue; or (ii) cash operating balances continue to be in deficit; and (3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) urgently develop a plan to improve financial responsibility, and stabilise the ACT’s credit rating; (b) take immediate action to improve the ACT’s performance in housing and construction, including: (i) establishing an independent review panel, comprised of industry and community experts, to assess the current regulatory and administrative framework for building and construction, and to recommend reforms that streamline processes and accelerate construction timelines without compromising quality; and (ii) introduce fiscal and regulatory reforms that incentivise private investment in the housing sector and create a more conducive environment for new housing projects; (c) report on progress by the end of the last sitting week in April; and (d) publish the fiscal plan by 8 May 2025. Debate ensued.

  2. Proposed changeJo ClayGreens · Crossbench5 February 2025

    Grouped by key words as: added a new call or point.

    Before

    (d) recent reporting indicates the Government will seek approval for hundreds of millions more in deficit spending

    After this change

    (d) recent reporting indicates the Government will seek approval for hundreds of millions more in unplanned spending; and

    The exact wording of this change

    No 1: Omit paragraph (2)(d), substitute: “(d) recent reporting indicates the Government will seek approval for hundreds of millions more in unplanned spending; and”. Debate continued.

    Agreed in a recorded vote, 13 to 10. Its wording is in the final text.

    Ayes 13

    • Yvette Berry, Michael Pettersson, Tara Cheyne, Chris Steel, Rachel Stephen-Smith, Caitlin Tough, Suzanne Orr, Taimus Werner-Gibbings, Marisa Paterson
    • Andrew Braddock, Shane Rattenbury, Jo Clay, Laura Nuttall

    Noes 10

    • Chiaka Barry, James Milligan, Peter Cain, Deborah Morris, Mark Parton, Leanne Castley, Ed Cocks, Jeremy Hanson
    • Fiona Carrick, Thomas Emerson
  3. Proposed changeJo ClayGreens · Crossbench5 February 2025

    Grouped by key words as: rewrote the proposal, changed a date or deadline, added reporting or consultation.

    Before

    (b) take immediate action to improve the ACT’s performance in housing and construction, including: (i) establishing an independent review panel, comprised of industry and community experts, to assess the current regulatory and administrative framework for building and construction, and to recommend reforms that streamline processes and accelerate construction timelines without compromising quality; and (ii) introduce fiscal and regulatory reforms that incentivise private investment in the housing sector and create a more conducive environment for new housing projects

    After this change

    (b) by the last sitting week in May 2025 table a report which details: (i) the fiscal and regulatory reforms being taken by the ACT Government that incentivise the delivery of public, community and affordable housing; (ii) the fiscal and regulatory reforms being undertaken by the New South Wales and Victorian Governments that incentivise the delivery of public, community and affordable housing; (iii) for the period from 2015 to 2024 and broken down into categories specifying whether it is a single residential dwelling, dual occupancy, townhouse, terrace house, apartments 3 storeys and under, apartments 4 storeys and over and which of these add new housing stock as opposed to knockdown rebuilds, how many: (A) Development Applications (DAs) were lodged; (B) DAs were approved; and (C) dwellings were completed; (iv) how many full-time equivalents (FTEs) are working in areas which are responsible for processing DAs; (v) any information the ACT Government can provide about how many FTEs in similar areas within New South Wales and Victoria that process DAs at the state and local level; and (vi) the feedback that the ACT Government has received through the Environment Planning Forum and elsewhere from organisations such as building and construction companies, architects and others working in construction, about the operation of the new planning system and how the ACT Government is responding to this feedback;

    The exact wording of this change

    No 2: Omit paragraph (3)(b), substitute: “(b) by the last sitting week in May 2025 table a report which details: (i) the fiscal and regulatory reforms being taken by the ACT Government that incentivise the delivery of public, community and affordable housing; (ii) the fiscal and regulatory reforms being undertaken by the New South Wales and Victorian Governments that incentivise the delivery of public, community and affordable housing; (iii) for the period from 2015 to 2024 and broken down into categories specifying whether it is a single residential dwelling, dual occupancy, townhouse, terrace house, apartments 3 storeys and under, apartments 4 storeys and over and which of these add new housing stock as opposed to knockdown rebuilds, how many: (A) Development Applications (DAs) were lodged; (B) DAs were approved; and (C) dwellings were completed; (iv) how many full-time equivalents (FTEs) are working in areas which are responsible for processing DAs; (v) any information the ACT Government can provide about how many FTEs in similar areas within New South Wales and Victoria that process DAs at the state and local level; and (vi) the feedback that the ACT Government has received through the Environment Planning Forum and elsewhere from organisations such as building and construction companies, architects and others working in construction, about the operation of the new planning system and how the ACT Government is responding to this feedback;”. Debate continued.

    Agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded. Its wording is in the final text.

  4. Proposed changeJo ClayGreens · Crossbench5 February 2025

    Grouped by key words as: added a new call or point.

    The exact wording of this change

    No 3: Insert new paragraph after paragraph (3)(b): “(c) introduce fiscal and regulatory reforms that incentivise private investment in the housing sector and create a more conducive environment for new housing projects;”.

    Agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded. Its wording is in the final text.

  5. What the Assembly decidedAgreed

    Decided on the voices: no individual votes were recorded, so this doesn’t show that every MLA agreed.

    Final agreed wording, with changes marked

    That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) the ACT was ranked second last in CommSec’s State of the States economic report for the December quarter, falling from second place in 2022; (b) the ACT now ranks second-last in key construction and housing metrics, including: (i) construction work completed; (ii) new owner-occupier housing finance commitments; and (iii) new home building starts; (c) new dwelling starts in the ACT are down nearly 50 percent compared to the decade average, with the time between approval and completion of new houses doubling over the past decade; and (d) construction work fell by 10 percent in the ACT during the past year; (2) further notes: (a) the ACT’s economic performance and credit rating have a direct impact on the Government’s interest bill; (b) the ACT’s credit rating was last downgraded only 16 months ago due to the ACT’s poor budget position and forecast deficits; (c) the ACT’s budget position is expected to run a cash operating deficit for the fourth consecutive year, with financial management weakening due to prolonged fiscal recovery and high debt levels; (d) recent reporting indicates the Government will seek approval for hundreds of millions more in unplanned spending; andClay (e) the ACT’s economic outlook has shifted from stable to negative, with the credit rating expected to fall within the next two years if: (i) the capital account deficit remains above 10 percent of total revenue; or (ii) cash operating balances continue to be in deficit; and (3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) urgently develop a plan to improve financial responsibility, and stabilise the ACT’s credit rating; (b) by the last sitting week in May 2025 table a report which details: (i) the fiscal and regulatory reforms being taken by the ACT Government that incentivise the delivery of public, community and affordable housing; (ii) the fiscal and regulatory reforms being undertaken by the New South Wales and Victorian Governments that incentivise the delivery of public, community and affordable housing; (iii) for the period from 2015 to 2024 and broken down into categories specifying whether it is a single residential dwelling, dual occupancy, townhouse, terrace house, apartments 3 storeys and under, apartments 4 storeys and over and which of these add new housing stock as opposed to knockdown rebuilds, how many: (A) Development Applications (DAs) were lodged; (B) DAs were approved; and (C) dwellings were completed; (iv) how many full-time equivalents (FTEs) are working in areas which are responsible for processing DAs; (v) any information the ACT Government can provide about how many FTEs in similar areas within New South Wales and Victoria that process DAs at the state and local level; and (vi) the feedback that the ACT Government has received through the Environment Planning Forum and elsewhere from organisations such as building and construction companies, architects and others working in construction, about the operation of the new planning system and how the ACT Government is responding to this feedbackClay; (c) introduce fiscal and regulatory reforms that incentivise private investment in the housing sector and create a more conducive environment for new housing projectsClay; (d) report on progress by the end of the last sitting week in April; and (e) publish the fiscal plan by 8 May 2025.

    Original and final wording compared

    That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) the ACT was ranked second last in CommSec’s State of the States economic report for the December quarter, falling from second place in 2022; (b) the ACT now ranks second-last in key construction and housing metrics, including: (i) construction work completed; (ii) new owner-occupier housing finance commitments; and (iii) new home building starts; (c) new dwelling starts in the ACT are down nearly 50 percent compared to the decade average, with the time between approval and completion of new houses doubling over the past decade; and (d) construction work fell by 10 percent in the ACT during the past year; (2) further notes: (a) the ACT’s economic performance and credit rating have a direct impact on the Government’s interest bill; (b) the ACT’s credit rating was last downgraded only 16 months ago due to the ACT’s poor budget position and forecast deficits; (c) the ACT’s budget position is expected to run a cash operating deficit for the fourth consecutive year, with financial management weakening due to prolonged fiscal recovery and high debt levels; (d) recent reporting indicates the Government will seek approval for hundreds of millions more in [taken out: deficit][put in: unplanned]spending; and (e) the ACT’s economic outlook has shifted from stable to negative, with the credit rating expected to fall within the next two years if: (i) the capital account deficit remains above 10 percent of total revenue; or (ii) cash operating balances continue to be in deficit; and (3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) urgently develop a plan to improve financial responsibility, and stabilise the ACT’s credit rating; (b) [taken out: take immediate action to improve][put in: by]the [taken out: ACT’s performance][put in: last sitting week]in [taken out: housing and construction, including:][put in: May 2025 table a report which details:](i) [taken out: establishing an independent review panel, comprised of industry][put in: the fiscal]and [put in: regulatory reforms being taken by the ACT Government that incentivise the delivery of public,]community [taken out: experts, to assess][put in: and affordable housing; (ii)]the [taken out: current][put in: fiscal and]regulatory [put in: reforms being undertaken by the New South Wales]and [taken out: administrative framework][put in: Victorian Governments that incentivise the delivery of public, community and affordable housing; (iii)]for [taken out: building][put in: the period from 2015 to 2024]and [taken out: construction,][put in: broken down into categories specifying whether it is a single residential dwelling, dual occupancy, townhouse, terrace house, apartments 3 storeys]and [put in: under, apartments 4 storeys and over and which of these add new housing stock as opposed]to [taken out: recommend reforms][put in: knockdown rebuilds, how many: (A) Development Applications (DAs) were lodged; (B) DAs were approved; and (C) dwellings were completed; (iv) how many full-time equivalents (FTEs) are working in areas which are responsible for processing DAs; (v) any information the ACT Government can provide about how many FTEs in similar areas within New South Wales and Victoria]that [taken out: streamline processes][put in: process DAs at the state]and [taken out: accelerate][put in: local level; and (vi) the feedback that the ACT Government has received through the Environment Planning Forum and elsewhere from organisations such as building and]construction [taken out: timelines without compromising quality;][put in: companies, architects]and [taken out: (ii)][put in: others working in construction, about the operation of the new planning system and how the ACT Government is responding to this feedback; (c)]introduce fiscal and regulatory reforms that incentivise private investment in the housing sector and create a more conducive environment for new housing projects; [taken out: (c)][put in: (d)]report on progress by the end of the last sitting week in April; and [taken out: (d)][put in: (e)]publish the fiscal plan by 8 May 2025. [taken out: Debate ensued.]

    Compared word by word by computer, ignoring punctuation. It shows what differs, not which change made each difference; the steps above show that.

Check the official record

  • Minutes of Proceedings No 6, 5 February 2025, item 17

Find these on the Assembly’s chamber documents page. Wording is quoted from the Minutes, © ACT Legislative Assembly, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Our reading is automatic and may contain errors; agreeing to a motion is not the same as doing what it asks. Report a problem