Thursday, 2 November 2023

 Samantha RATNAM (Northern Metropolitan) (14:04): (523) My question is to the Minister for Housing. A constituent contacted me recently after having her contract to purchase an apartment at the former public housing site at Abbotsford Street, North Melbourne, as a first home owner, cancelled and declared void. This occurred less than 20 days after she had been reassured by Homes Victoria the project was on track to be completed by 2026. We now understand the developer MAB and Homes Victoria have cancelled their development agreement. We also understand that individuals who had contracts for affordable apartments in the development were contacted by MAB offering to facilitate their exit from the contract, refund the deposit and pay solicitors fees and any interest on the deposit and offering a smooth transition into a contract of sale in any of MAB’s other developments, despite these not being affordable. Essentially MAB was trying to pressure people to give up on their contracts for an affordable home because it was not making enough money. Yet Homes Victoria on its website is still spruiking that the development will provide priority to first home owners. Minister, can you provide an explanation as to why the development agreement with MAB has been cancelled and what support is being offered to people who have been left in the lurch?