Housing Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2005

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

(Serial 23)

Mr Elliot McAdam MLA
Minister for Housing

THE HOUSING AMENDMENT BILL (NO. 2) 2005 PROPOSES TO AMEND THE HOUSING ACT.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE HOUSING ACT WILL INSERT TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS TO ALLOW THE HOME PURCHASE ASSISTANCE SCHEMES CURRENTLY GOVERNED BY THE HOUSING LOANS ACT AND RELATED REGULATIONS TO BE REGULATED BY SECTION 24 OF THE HOUSING ACT.  THIS WILL ALLOW THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (HOUSING) TO APPROVE CHANGES TO THE SCHEMES, FOLLOWING ENDORSEMENT BY THE MINISTER FOR HOUSING.

THE BILL WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE ADMINISTRATIVE FLEXIBILITY OF THE HOME PURCHASE ASSISTANCE SCHEMES GOVERNED BY THE HOUSING LOANS ACT AND ALLOW THEM TO BENEFIT FROM THE FLEXIBILITIES OF THE NEW SCHEMES.

PART 1 – PRELIMINARY MATTERS

CLAUSE 1.	SHORT TITLE.

PART 2 – AMENDMENT OF HOUSING ACT

CLAUSE 2.	PRINCIPAL ACT

CLAUSE 3.	NEW PART X.

	AMENDS THE HOUSING ACT BY INSERTING A NEW PART AFTER PART IX.  THE NEW PART X CONTAINS TRANSITIONAL MATTERS FOR THE HOUSING AMENDMENT ACT (NO. 2) 2005. SECTION 48 OF THE NEW PART X INCLUDES DEFINITIONS FOR ‘REPEALED HOUSING (CONCESSIONAL LOANS) REGULATIONS’, ‘REPEALED HOUSING LOANS REGULATIONS’ AND ‘COMMENCEMENT DATE’. SECTION 49 OF THE NEW PART X ALLOWS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (HOUSING) TO ADMINISTER THE SCHEME GOVERNED BY THE REPEALED HOUSING (CONCESSIONAL LOANS) REGULATIONS UNDER SECTION 24 OF THE HOUSING ACT. 
	SECTION 50 OF THE NEW PART X ALLOWS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (HOUSING) TO ADMINISTER THE SCHEME GOVERNED BY THE REPEALED HOUSING LOANS REGULATIONS UNDER SECTION 24 OF THE HOUSING ACT.

PART 3 – REPEAL OF REGULATIONS

CLAUSE 4	REPEALS

	THE FOLLOWING LAWS ARE REPEALED:

I)	HOUSING LOANS ORDINANCE 1949 - 1978
II)	HOUSING (CONCESSION LOANS) REGULATIONS
III)	HOUSING LOANS REGULATIONS
IV)	AMENDMENTS OF HOUSING LOANS REGULATIONS