The Liberal Government is committed to rebuilding essential services in Tasmania.
I was very pleased today to open the Mowbray office of Community Housing Limited and the Devonport office of Housing Choices Tasmania.
Community Housing Limited took on management of around 1,190 tenancies in Northern Tasmania earlier this month, while Housing Choices Tasmania have been managing 1,172 properties in the North West since June this year.
The opening of these offices marks the successful rollout of the Better Housing Futures program.
Community Housing Limited and Housing Choices Tasmania, together with Centacare Evolve Housing and Mission Australia in the south, are now managing almost 4,000 properties through Better Housing Futures.
Local offices will give tenants better access to more responsive and efficient services which are a key part of what Better Housing Futures delivers.
The transfer of public housing to the community sector is consistent with the Liberal Government's commitment to a new way of providing services to the most vulnerable Tasmanians.
The Better Housing Futures program meets Tasmania's obligations under the Nation Building and Economic Stimulus Plan and National Affordable Housing Agreement, which required the transfer of management of up to 35 per cent of public housing stock to the community housing sector by July 2014.
Tasmania is the only State or Territory to have met that target.
We are making affordable housing a priority. In the first 100 days of Government we overhauled the HomeShare scheme to make it easier for low to middle income earners to buy their own home.
We've also started work on a State Affordable Housing Plan which will provide a clear framework for the next decade around home ownership, affordable rental, public and community housing, and crisis accommodation.
The Liberal Government is committed to delivering improved housing options for Tasmanians.