CANBERRA Liberals Leader Elizabeth Lee will take on a newly created portfolio of Shadow Minister for Housing Affordability and Choice.

It comes following the opposition leader’s scathing budget reply yesterday (August 4) where she slammed the government for “doing nothing about the almost 40,000 Canberrans living in poverty, including nearly 9000 children.”

“While the creation of a shadow portfolio alone is not going to fix the huge problems we face in housing, it is an important signal to the community that the Canberra Liberals are committed to addressing the housing affordability crisis,” said Lee.

“For months this Labor-Greens government has rejected every single one of the Canberra Liberals’ calls to improve housing affordability and choice.

“While the Chief Minister did a stunning backflip only days ago and finally conceded the ACT government does have a significant role to play in housing supply, he failed in the delivery.

“His claims that there would be 30,000 new dwellings as part of his grand budget announcement is baseless and shows over the next five years there will actually be 17 less dwellings than promised previously.”

Ms Lee said her priorities in the new portfolio will include a sustainable and measured approach to land release, a review of the impacts of rates affordability, adequate support for Canberra’s skilled workforce, ensuring the planning system is working for the community and boosting community and public housing.