Submission to Productivity Commission Inquiry into First Home Ownership (584.1 kb)
While recognising the difficulties faced by low-moderate income earners attempting to access first home ownership and the need for government programs to assist them, UnitingCare draws attention to the significant housing stress faced by low-income private tenants, particularly those whose only source of income is government income support. Government housing policy should primarily focus on addressing the housing needs of this group, of the homeless and the working poor, through strategies such as a significant expansion of social housing and of the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program. This should in part be financed through funds accrued by abolishing taxation concessions to investors in residential property such as negative gearing and other taxation reforms. Support is expressed for subsidy programs such as a reformed Commonwealth Rent Assistance program and for a reformed First Home Owners Assistance Grant Scheme, however it is argued that primary emphasis should be placed on strategies to increase the supply of affordable housing.

 Acceptable Behaviour Agreements for Public Tenants (45.2 kb)

 Homelessness as Violence (182.6 kb)

 Submission to Residential Tenancy Database Working Party, Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs (134.1 kb)

 Submission on Section 94 Review, NSW Department of Planning, Infrastructure and Natural Resources (176.5 kb)

 The Allocation of Social Housing (197.5 kb)
The key point we wish to impress upon the Committee is that policy dilemmas surrounding allocation systems cannot be disconnected from the funding situation the Department finds itself in. The current crisis of ageing and poorly maintained stock, repeated large operating deficits and lack of capital funding for new stock creates the situation in which the government is forced into choosing between poor policy options. There can be no real solution without additional funding.

 Submission on Property, Stock and Business Agents Amendment (Tenant Databases) Regulation 2004 (121.5 kb)