LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN AUSTRALIA AND ITS CAPACITY TO SUPPLY - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN AUSTRALIA AND ITS CAPACITY TO SUPPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING Local government and housing in the 21 st Century Lenka Thompson (PhD Student) ARC Linkage Project: PL150100160

ABOUT ME – LENKA THOMPSON > Elected councillor to Moreland City Council (2012 - 2016) > Portfolio councillor for Affordable and Accessible Housing > Chair of Moreland Housing Matters Advisory Committee > McArthur / MAV Fellowship recipient 2014 – "Real affordable housing options for all residents - land trusts for affordable housing in Local governments“ > YWCA Housing Development Committee member 2016

ABOUT THE ‘OTHER’ ME – LENKA THOMPSON > A run-about mum for an energetic 2 year old and partner of a painter artist > Environmental Scientist to an Environmental Audit west of Melbourne > Community leader for creating an urban forest along a local train line

PHD – RATIONALE FOR THE RESEARCH > Australia is in a 'housing crisis‘ – Homelessness – Housing stress – Affordable housing demand greater than supply – Unreachable housing market – Insecure housing tenure > Little clarity on how local government can help alleviate the crisis > Gap in the research of how best to use land and building assets owned by local governments

PHD – RESEARCH QUESTIONS Primary Question: Why are some councils able to facilitate the provision of affordable housing while others are not? Secondary Questions: > What are councils doing with respect to affordable housing and what are the challenges/opportunities? > Can local government provide affordable housing utilising their land and building assets? > Can third parties (not-for-profits or NGOs) play a role in helping local government provide affordable housing? > What role do Councillors play in shaping and implementing housing policy?

PHD – PROJECT MEMBER COUNCILS 1. City of Greater Bendigo 2. Mount Alexander Shire Council 3. City of Moonee Valley 4. Moreland City Council

PHD – RESEARCH SO FAR… FEDERAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMS Australia Signatory of United Nation’s ICESCR and New Urban Agenda Overarching Policies > Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement replaced by > National Affordable Housing Agreement Housing Assistance Programs > Commonwealth Rent Assistance > National Rental Affordability Scheme > Social Housing Initiative > Independent Living Units

PHD – RESEARCH SO FAR… LOCAL INVOLVEMENT Local governments and not-for-profit housing organisations > BHC (Brisbane City Council) > Port Phillip Housing Association (City of Port Phillip) – Development over council-owned car parks (air space development) – Allocated public land from the council – Currently $85 million in housing assets > Moreland Affordable Housing Limited (Moreland City Council) – Looking for Board members, council-owned land and partners Queensland local governments directly provide housing > Sate government has a mandate to transfer 90% of its stock to councils

PHD – RESEARCH SO FAR… LOCAL INVOLVEMENT Parramatta Feasibility Study – Uni of Western Sydney > Council-owned land surplus to its needs and a former maintenance depot nominated site for the feasibility study > The land parcel was 4,222 m 2 > Valued at $3.1 million and considered a substantial contribution of equity for the project Playford Alive (Playford City Council and SA Government) > Joint project between Local and State governments > Provide homes to eligible households for a certain time > Council committing $23 million over 10 years

PHD - THEORY Neoliberalism > Involves reducing government intervention to allow market forces to assert its superiority over social and economic affairs (Forrest, 2009) > Neoliberal policies been around since the 1980’s – significant social and economic impacts. Significant impact on housing. > Produced a global real estate market, contributing to high housing prices as an unintended consequence Human Rights > The recognition of the inherent value of each person based on dignity, equality and mutual respect, regardless of cultural, social or economic backgrounds (Australian Human Rights Commission) > Stemming from theology and natural law from all across the world, it has the longest legacy still prevalent in todays society > Political and social discourse wanting to bring policy development back to more just outcomes

HUMAN RIGHTS, NEOLIBERALISM AND HOUSING > “…the housing sector has been transformed by global financial actors and unprecedented amounts of excess capital. It is no longer as we once knew it. Housing has been financialized: valued as a commodity rather than a place to live in dignity, to raise a family and thrive within a community. Housing has become security for financial instruments – traded and sold on global markets. It has lost its currency as a universal human right.” (Farha, 2017).

PHD - METHODOLOGY In-depth Interviews with Project Member Councils Why are some councils able to facilitate the provision of affordable housing while others are not? > Gain an understanding of the council’s goals, the barriers, challenges and opportunities? > What are the organisation’s land holdings? > Does the organisation have a strategy for the land holdings to realise those assets for affordable housing provision? > What are the economic models for local governments to provide their land holdings for affordable housing?

PHD - TIMELINE > March – August 2017 – Chapter 2: Local Government – Possibilities and Challenge – Chapter 3: Theoretical Framework > September 2017 – PhD Assessment with UTS > September 2017 onwards – Ethics submission to UTS – In depth interviews with project member councils

CONTACT Lenka Thompson PhD Student, UTS e lenka.m.thompson@student.uts.edu.au m 0425 786 377 s lenkamai t @lenkathompson1 Thank you.