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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-05-02 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Franklin Street Bus Station

Ms HOOD (Adelaide) (15:07): My question is to the Minister for Housing and Urban Development. Can the minister advise the house about the future of the old bus station site on Franklin Street in the city?

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION (Taylor—Minister for Trade and Investment, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Planning) (15:07): Thanks to the member for Adelaide, who is such a great champion for the city. The Premier and the Lord Mayor this morning announced that Renewal SA was Adelaide City Council's preferred proponent for the old bus station site located on Franklin Street. The site went on the market last year and is a strategic piece of land due to its size and location. This government took the policy position that this site is a city-changing location and that we could build density and amenity into that part of the city.

The project is known as Tapangka, which in Kaurna means 'going on a journey', and there is symbolism in that journey. It is a journey of reconciliation, a journey of home ownership and a journey of partnership with the Adelaide City Council and the state government. We have focused Renewal SA's efforts to concentrate on the building of affordable housing.

This is Renewal SA's first urban regeneration project undertaken in the central business district. The CBD needs essential workers to function: it needs hospitality workers, it needs cleaners, it needs childcare workers, it needs retail workers. All these people keep our city functioning, and that's why we are going to deliver 35 per cent of the project to affordable housing for essential workers and for others who contribute so much to our state.

Comprising 392 apartments, it includes public housing, affordable rental for community housing providers, the city's first build-to-rent project and market and affordable sales. That mix of housing types is important for creating a fair and diverse community. That's what it is important for, and the inclusion for the first build-to-rent project will help to alleviate the rental crisis that Adelaide is currently facing. I heard the member opposite talking about the rental crisis, the housing crisis. opposite, your policy, was always to restrict supply when demand was going up, and that's why you don't ask any questions in this house about housing.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: That's why you never ask a question about it—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: —because you spent four years restricting supply.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey!

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: Last Friday—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: —the national cabinet announced that build-to-rent properties will benefit from a reduction in the withholding tax rate, from 30 per cent to 15 per cent, and that creates a level playing field for build-to-rent. That's a really, really important thing—state and federal governments working together to produce housing supply.

The project also includes a 208 room hotel, adding much-needed hotel stock to complement our state's growing tourism and events calendar—all of which you oppose. Most importantly, the project is carbon neutral, it provides provision for electric vehicle charging, it creates 1,300 jobs and contributes $161 million to the economy. That's why Bruce Djite from the Property Council was out there this morning saying, 'It's great the development includes a Build-to-Rent option which will increase the rental supply for the central business district.'

So here the government is providing a project that adds to the city—adds 1,000 people into the vibrancy of that section of the city. It is complementary to the beloved Central Market, it is important for the traders, it backs in a growing economy, a growing CBD, a livable city and a growing supply of affordable apartments for essential workers and for everybody else.

We want to live in a fair city, and to do that we've got to have an adequate supply of housing, in greenfield, in infill and in the city because that's the way you lower the price of housing—you provide supply.

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