Ms O’CONNOR – Thank you, Chair. Minister, I just want to go back to the Homes Faster! Partnership medium high-density development grant, and I’ve had a look at the front of the chapter. Which minister administers that grant?
Mr ELLIS – So just working through it, I have a short update, though not the full one. We’ve committed as part of the next 100-day plan – the Tasmanian Government has committed to releasing the program guidelines prior to 30 October 2024 and then commencement of the program shortly after. Guidelines for the medium-density development grant have not yet been finalised. And the Department of State Growth has recently finalised a minute to me that sets out some options for consideration in relation to the program. Has not yet reached me, but of course, as I mentioned, there are Homes Faster! Partnership grants for this area, and there is also Homes Faster! Partnership programs for subdivisions.
Ms O’CONNOR – I understand that.
Mr ELLIS – So I am just hopeful that we haven’t – we are not getting caught in a sort of confusion around that.
Ms O’CONNOR – Thank you. Can you confirm then, you are the minister. So, minister, you forgot that you were the minister responsible for this grant?
Mr ELLIS – Well, I actually haven’t received any advice with regard to this program yet at all. I received some in terms of the subdivision side of things, but the medium-density payments are not yet developed. So yes, once – as I say, we have committed to that by the end of October, and I will have a brief coming to me very shortly. That will be the first information that I will have had from the Department of State Growth around this.
Ms O’CONNOR – The first? The only and first briefing that you will have had from the department on an item which is in the budget papers? I think you’d have had a minute before the budget where you were given some information on the program.
Mr ELLIS – Yes, sorry. I am more talking in terms of guidelines, and those sort of things. You know, any matters with regards –
Ms O’CONNOR – You said it was the first information you had received, though.
Mr ELLIS – Yes, in terms of guidelines, and the sort of specific things that you are asking about, in terms of whether there might be a change to it being a subdivision program rather than a medium‑density program, and that is probably where some of the confusion has come in. But hopefully that is –
Ms O’CONNOR – Well, I’m not confused. You sound a bit more confused than me.
Mr ELLIS – That’s okay. Would you like us to maybe bring some state growth officials down so we can –
Ms O’CONNOR – Well, I am in the committee’s hands here with that sort of thing.
Mr ELLIS – Because most of the housing and planning side of things has up until now been Department of Premier and Cabinet. Although some of these payments, we work with the team at State Growth. I am happy to bring them in for some clarity.
Ms O’CONNOR – So in terms of the program guidelines, have you had discussions with Homes Tasmania or state servants from the Department of State Growth at your regular weekly meetings about the criteria for applying this grant? You can’t remember?
Mr ELLIS – Yes. Look, we discuss a range of things but not specifically this one as far as I can recall. But look, I might just – if we could bring State Growth in?
Ms O’CONNOR – Minister, what I am trying to establish here –
Mr ELLIS – I am happy to look into it, Ms O’Connor, but –
Ms O’CONNOR – If the committee is happy to have State Growth up here, I’m happy to have State Growth up here.
CHAIR – If we had enough time we could probably –
Ms O’CONNOR – That’s right. I am not going to force –
CHAIR – At this point in time we want to get through –
Mr ELLIS – I don’t imagine it will be particularly long in terms of the evidence provided, just to clarify. Because, as I say, this is, you know, not a program that exists yet, and a fair bit of design work to be done on other programs. But this one, the guidelines are not due to be finalised until the end of next month, and it is a brief that has only just come to my office and not yet to me. So –
Ms O’CONNOR – Okay. But just in terms of – so there’s two things here. The budget papers say developers will be given grants of $10,000 a unit, up to a maximum of 50 units. Taxpayers are subsidising developers up to a half a million dollars for a project for brand new in-fill medium- or high‑density developments. Will you rule out today that that funding will be allocated towards – in this program, will be allocated towards anything other than brand new medium‑ and high‑density housing?
Mr ELLIS – Yes. Look, I might pass over to Ms Morgan-Thomas if there is something particular to update.
Ms O’CONNOR – Okay, but you sign off on the guidelines, just so we are all clear here.
Mr ELLIS – Yes, and I will just pass over to –
Ms MORGAN-THOMAS – This is the only bit of Homes Faster! Partnership that is sitting with Homes Tasmania. That has been out for procurement, and we are in the middle of a procurement which we have done under the Treasurer’s instructions. We are in the middle of assessing that at the moment.
Ms O’CONNOR – Okay. Well, thank you for that information, Ms Thomas, but is the procurement process seeking expressions of interest or tenders or applications from developers who want to build medium- and high-density housing? Is that what you are looking for through that program?
Mr ELLIS – Well, are you talking about the apartments development program?
Ms MORGAN-THOMAS – I am talking about the apartment development program.
Ms O’CONNOR – Yes, the medium- high-density development grant.
Ms MORGAN-THOMAS – With a minimum of 25 units?
Mr ELLIS – No. We are talking about a different program.
Ms O’CONNOR – A maximum, a maximum of 50 units.
Ms MORGAN-THOMAS – Sorry. No, sorry, that is not ours.
Mr ELLIS – Yes. No, that’s fine. That is another one again.
Ms MORGAN-THOMAS – Yes. My apologies, I have –
Ms O’CONNOR – Okay.
Mr ELLIS – So there is a little bit going on in the medium-density space, Ms O’Connor, so forgive us there, but –
Ms O’CONNOR – I am just trying to establish – and I am happy to move on.
Mr ELLIS – No, no. That’s fine, yes.
Ms O’CONNOR – I just don’t like letting things go until we get an answer.
Mr ELLIS – No, no, that’s fine. We will bring State Growth down and we can clear it all up, and everyone will be on the same page. Obviously I mentioned before I am not – I haven’t yet received advice and we are looking to release guidelines in a bit over a month, so we will provide a further update on that.
Ms O’CONNOR – Have you managed to recall whether or not you had any discussions about more loosely applying this grant so that it was eligible to subdivision developers?
Mr ELLIS – Yes. Look, we will bring in the team from the Department of State Growth, and –
Ms O’CONNOR – But they won’t be able to get into your head to access your memories.
Mr ELLIS – Yes. And as I mentioned, Ms O’Connor, I am happy to take the question on notice, as well, just so that we can be sure that the committee has got accurate information here. There is obviously a bit of confusion around the information that is being asked for, so we want to make sure that we have got clarity and the committee is fully informed.
Ms O’CONNOR – Okay. Well, I will move on, but I will be back.
