Ms Maria Graham:

I thank the Senator. There are a couple of things to mention. One is the specific statutory powers being given to the LDA and the TUD witnesses mentioned that. The Property Registration Authority, PRA, has worked with them on that. It will have to give a formal report to Government on State land banks. That will be really important as one of the mechanisms for highlighting where that land availability is. Part of the work in Housing for All is a whole tranche of more lands for the LDA to bring to fruition and the capacity under the LDA Act for it to work with local authorities on lands.

Another component of that is the residential zoned land tax. Mr. Hogan has been working very closely with the Department of Finance and could give more details on that. Again, that gives the transparency on land that is owned and what it is being used for and taxing it if its not being brought forward. On property, part of the analysis of getting the data from the LPT is with a view to bringing in a vacant property tax. Local authorities will equally be applied. I recognise precisely what the Senator said but this issue has come up in a number of the reports of the auditors on this. We equally realise many lands local authorities have go back for generations so the process of registration can be difficult. I know as part of the social housing programme and the increased 10,000 build per annum, that land availability, what lands local authorities have, what they are going to be used for and how they might form part is a particular aspect the Department and the housing delivery office are looking at. There are a number of strands to dealing with what is a really important issue. If the Senator wants more, Mr. Hogan can come in on the residential zoned.