Canberra Liberals Leader Elizabeth Lee has announced as part of her budget reply yesterday that she will be taking on the new portfolio of Shadow Minister for Housing Affordability and Choice.

Ms Lee said the Canberra Liberals are absolutely committed to addressing the housing affordability crisis in the ACT and supporting every Canberran to buy or rent a home.

“For months this Labor-Greens government has rejected every single one of the Canberra Liberals’ calls to improve housing affordability and choice,” Ms Lee said.

“While the Chief Minister did a stunning backflip only days ago and finally conceded the ACT government does have a significant role to play in housing supply, he failed in the delivery.

“His claims that there would be 30,000 new dwellings as part of his grand budget announcement is baseless and shows over the next five years there will actually be 17 less dwellings than promised previously.

“While the creation of a shadow portfolio alone is not going to fix the huge problems we face in housing, it is an important signal to the community that the Canberra Liberals are committed to addressing the housing affordability crisis.”

Ms Lee said the five key priorities in the new portfolio will be:

• A sustainable and measured approach to land release;

• A review of the impacts of the rates regime on affordability;

• Adequate support for Canberra’s skilled workforce, who will build the homes Canberrans need;

• Ensuring that the planning system is working for the community; and

• Boosting community and public housing.

“There is much to do in this space, and I look forward to initiating further discussions and making further announcements in the coming months,” Ms Lee said.

“I commit to doing everything I can to ensure that housing affordability and choice are within the reach of every Canberran,” Ms Lee concluded.