How many housed, not how much money, they say

SEVEN weeks out from a State election, there’s a serious difference of opinion between Liberal-National coalition and the State Government about how they’re handling the statie’s housing crisis.

In a statement from the Shadow Minister for Housing, Richard Riordan, labelled “Empty Regional Housing Promises - Only a roof will do”, Mr Riordan says the government should be judged on how many people they’ve housed rather than how much money they’ve thrown at it.

The Andrews Government’s “regurgitated” commitment of 683 homes in regional Victoria is too little too late, he said in a statement on last week.

It follows an announcement earlier last week by the Housing Minister Danny Pearson of a further $35 million in grants from the Social Housing Growth Fund to build social housing across Gippsland, of which $3.6 million is coming to Bass Coast.

The grant will build up to 18 houses, providing social and affordable housing.

That’s on top of the $25 million Big Housing Build funding for Bass Coast in 2021, some of which has been spent getting projects started, but not yet completed.

Mr Riordan said action on the housing crisis was too slow, leaving many people in desperate straits.

“Community support groups, advocates and the social housing sector are flying blind on the sky rocketing needs of Victoria’s most vulnerable. More than 4000 families were added to the priority housing register in the past 12 months according to most recent data,” he said.

“In eight years, 26,247, or a staggering 20 families a day, have been added to our urgent housing waiting lists across the state.

“The Andrews Government must start measuring its success not in the money it wishes to throw at a problem, instead at how it is solving the problem.

“Minister Pearson, said Mr Riordan, must come clean today on what the actual figures are in the September quarter priority housing waiting lists.

“Last week, the Federal Government’s Productivity Commission made two damning reveals on the horror of the homeless waiting list in Victoria, with families now waiting on average more than 16 months for suitable housing.”

Mr Riordan claimed only the Liberals and Nationals would deliver real solutions to the housing crisis.

“Danny Pearson must come clean on the ballooning housing crisis,” the Shadow Housing Minister said.

“When will the true extent of eight years of mismanagement be revealed?

“The Labor Andrews Government has proven over eight years it has no capacity to solve the housing crisis in regional Victoria and an announcement of 683 homes will not put a scuff mark on the priority waiting list.

“A Liberal Government would immediately move to fast-track land and partnerships with Housing Associations, not for profits and the superannuation industry to get the homes built that Victorians need.”

So, there’s a fight raging between the parties about how to tackle the housing crisis but what the community wants to see is more of those in desperate need of housing to get a roof over their heads as a matter of urgency.