ACT Independent Senator David Pocock said it was extraordinarily frustrating that in the middle of an acute housing crisis, the Albanese and ACT Governments have failed to progress divestiture of the old CSIRO Ginninderra site for desperately needed new housing.
Standing alongside representatives from the housing sector, Senator Pocock said three years after commitments made at the 2022 election and ten years since this CSIRO site was first put on the table, the delays in resolving this issue continued to hurt ACT housing affordability.
“The CSIRO Ginninderra site provides a unique opportunity to significantly add to new housing supply in the ACT, including desperately needed social and affordable homes,” Senator Pocock said.
“The 701-hectare site could add thousands of new, well-located dwellings while also balancing conservation and preserving environmental value. We need sensible density and to develop sites like this appropriately, while also conserving areas like the Western Edge and other farmland in the ACT.
“Yesterday the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council’s 2025 State of the Housing System report showed housing affordability continues to deteriorate.
“The ACT currently is on track to hit just 78% of its share of target new dwellings under the National Housing Accord.
“Ensuring that adequate land is made available for development was one of five key policy areas the Council identified for reform.
“I have advocated consistently for the release of this land, alongside other measures to improve housing affordability.
“While I appreciate there are some complexities, it is deeply frustrating to see yet another key issue for the ACT continue to drag on and be kicked back and forth between the Albanese and ACT Governments. Our community wants to see both governments step up, actually put the people of the ACT first, and get this land released.”