Housing Affordability

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:03): My question is to the Minister for Planning.

Members interjecting:

Ms BEDFORD: Isn't it good to know that so late in question time people are still paying attention? How is the government addressing the issue of housing affordability in South Australia?

The SPEAKER: The anaesthetist.

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for Consumer and Business Services, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (15:04): I thank the member for her question because this is a very important issue for people in South Australia. All around South Australia, indeed all around Australia—

Ms Chapman: Once upon a time.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: They are not as interested in housing as we are. We are interested. A lack of affordable housing remains a significant challenge for young people and families wanting to enter the property market, particularly for the first time.

With housing prices often many multiples of annual incomes, and the amount of time required to save the average of a 20 per cent deposit for the first-home buyer, often exceeding eight years, the government is acutely aware of the barriers to home ownership in South Australia. But on a positive note, the latest HIA Housing Affordability Report of 31 January this year shows that, despite fluctuations in market conditions during the past 12 months, Adelaide maintains its position as the third most affordable capital city in Australia.

We are consistently being told by the federal government and interstate lobby groups that the perennial answer to our housing affordability charges lie in how tightly we control the supply of land for urban development on the fringes of our cities. Well, this observation could not be more wrong here in South Australia. The journey we set out on in 2010 for the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide ensured that we as a government strategically identified a long-term pipeline of land supply for future urban growth whilst encouraging better use of our existing infrastructure and a more liveable, vibrant city, and that has certainly been happening.

During the past five years, we have seen a substantial increase in the opportunities made available for major infill development in the inner and middle Adelaide areas, including the progression of exciting projects, such as Bowden—

Ms Sanderson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Adelaide is on two warnings.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: —thank you, Mr Speaker—Lightsview and St Clair. Our urban infill agenda continues to make real inroads into unlocking supply and providing a diversity of affordable living options close to jobs and services in places where people want to live. Our progress also indicates that 75 per cent of our housing increase now comes from established areas in metropolitan Adelaide, up from 50 per cent in 2009.

Our extensive structure planning and rezoning programs have resulted in excess of 20 years' supply of development land ready at current consumption rates in residential growth areas. That is 20 years' supply.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Well, Mr Speaker, I don't normally respond to interjections because I would hope that most members opposite would take a leaf out of the member for Bright's book, who behaves with an exemplary demeanour during question time, and I—

The Hon. J.J. Snelling: Not like the member for Kavel.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Well, he is doing very well today, too.

The Hon. J.J. Snelling interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I know. The point, though, the answer to that question—

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier is called to order for breaching the convention about the presence or absence of members.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I didn't mention that. I just said that he wasn't interrupting at all.

The SPEAKER: There was an imputation.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: There was an imputation. That's right. I'm trying to put a positive aspect to it. Anyway, in answer to the leader's interjection, the reason why the numbers are changing is that people's preferences in where they wish to live is being expressed—

Mr Marshall: Because you've got no jobs for anyone to come here for—that's why.

The SPEAKER: The motion before the house is that the house note grievances.