Bass housing roundtable builds on housing statement

THE Government’s landmark Housing Statement – The Decade Ahead 2024-34 sets out a commitment to boost housing supply and affordability in Victoria and has garnered significant interest from Bass housing stakeholders and community groups. 

To provide further insight on how the Housing Statement reforms will impact our community, Member for Bass Jordan Crugnale invited Minister for Housing Harriet Shing to join local housing advocates at roundtable meeting on November 24. 

In attendance were representatives from Bass Coast Health, Gippsland Homelessness Network, Gippsland Family Violence Alliance, The Salvation Army, Community Housing (Vic) Ltd, YMCA, Housing Matters, Bass Coast Specialist School, Rotary Club of Wonthaggi, Live at the Cape, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, and Bass Coast Shire Council. 

“I want to thank the commitment of everyone present to work together, think innovatively, and be driven by their compassion for those in need in our community. We remain committed to working with locals to deliver more housing for Bass,” said Member for Bass Jordan Crugnale. 

Minister Shing was interested in understanding what was happening on the ground in Bass and appreciated the honest and informed feedback. 

“Having somewhere secure, accessible and fit for purpose is so important. We know that having a home provides a solid foundation that enables people to find a job, access education and raise a family,” said Minister for Housing Harriet Shing. 

The diversity at the table, from sustainable builders and advocates to on the ground support services saw a well-rounded discussion and understanding of the complex challenges our community is facing. The conversation was robust, and solution orientated, with a focus on how we could better support vulnerable residents and look to innovative new ideas to increase local housing supply. 

The Bass electorate is growing, and so is Victoria. We’re the fastest growing state in Australia, with our population set to hit 10.3 million by 2051. The Housing Statement recognises this and sets our state a target of building 2.24 million homes by 2034, including a target of 425,600 across regional and rural Victoria. 

The $5.3 billion Big Housing Build investment is delivering 12,000 new homes right across the state. This investment will see 25 per cent going into regional Victoria, with Bass Coast a priority council area which has been allocated a minimum of $25 million. 

Seven homes have already been completed and 30 new homes are underway. The total Big Housing Build has already invested $14 million in Bass Coast and created 125 jobs. 

In addition – we’re creating a new $1 billion Regional Housing Fund to deliver more than 1300 new homes across regional Victoria. The new homes will include a mix of social and affordable housing – and we’ll work with councils, regional partnerships, and local communities to determine the right mix of stock and locations for each region.