Before I begin,
I’d like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional
custodians of this land and pay my respects to the Elders past, present and
emerging.
Thank you all for
being here this evening. Your participation in the conversation surrounding the
future of housing in NSW is needed, as it deals with the day-to-day realities
of so many of our friends and family. There are few topics more tangible than
housing, and NSW has over 158,000 social homes – more than all of Victoria and
Queensland combined.
I’ve been invited here tonight to present you with the Liberal Party’s social
and affordable housing platform for this upcoming election. If I were to
summarise the Perrottet Government’s priority in brief, it is to have keys in
doors for as many people in NSW as possible.
Obviously housing
policy is not that simple. While housing supply and affordability is key to
this Government’s agenda, so too is housing that is designed to support human
wellbeing. Increasingly research indicates that location factors such as
proximity to local jobs, social networks, infrastructure, and services cannot
be ignored.
These factors
vary in significance too, depending upon individual needs and the services
required in each area. One clear example is the stark difference in
considerations between housing in Sydney and housing in regional NSW. Social
housing in Waterloo cannot be identical to social housing in Taree. A Perrottet
government will leave behind neither Waterloo nor Taree.
A balance therefore needs to be struck between sustainably increasing the
supply of social and affordable housing across the state and ensuring that such
housing is connected to the local community.
It is in the task
of striking this balance where I am convinced the Perrottet Government gets it
right. Entirely new housing supply, partnering with Community Housing
organisations and innovative planning schemes are necessary to deliver the
social and affordable housing needed to service a state of more than 9 million people
by 2033.
That is why the
Perrottet Government has already endorsed a Greater Cities Commission
recommendation for 30 per cent social and affordable housing for new
developments on Government-owned land. On this issue Rose Jackson and I, Labor
and Liberal, are on a unity ticket. This means that private residential
property and social housing will develop in tandem, relieving pressure from
both affordable housing prices and the social housing system.
It is also why
the Perrottet Government has established the $1.1 billion Social and Affordable
Housing Fund, which will have generated 3,486 homes delivered by community
housing providers by the end of next year. The value of community housing
providers and private sector investment – particularly in the space of quality
affordable housing – cannot be ignored. Over the past 10 years, we have supported
Community Housing Provider investment of more than $1.8 billion in new social
and affordable homes, boosting our capacity to supply housing to those in need.
In figures, for the
2022-2023 financial year, the NSW Government is spending $1.2 billion across
Social Housing and Homelessness Programs. This includes $718 million of recurrent
funding for social housing and $394 million of continued funding for Specialist
Homelessness Services that have helped more than 70,000 people a year.
Additionally,
$300 million will be spent upgrading Land and Housing Corporation owned
properties to conduct maintenance as well as install new energy efficiency
measures, forming part of a holistic, people-oriented approach to housing.
Modernising
existing housing stock – as opposed to simply focusing on the creation of new
dwellings – does not score favourable news headlines. Nonetheless, it remains a
crucial part of the Perrottet government’s holistic social housing platform as
outlined in the NSW Housing Strategy Housing 2041.
As part of Housing
2041, the Perrottet government acknowledges the special needs of regional
communities and the particular vulnerabilities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islanders.
Regional New
South Wales will be the key beneficiary of more than 270 new homes designated specifically
for teachers, nurses and police under the ‘key worker accommodation’ plan, as
part of $328 million spent to improve housing supply in the regions.
The concept of
key worker accommodation also acknowledges the need to support essential
workers with affordable housing, allowing them to provide their specialised
skills to regional New South Wales.
Location
considerations are also crucial for Aboriginal communities. For First Nations
Australians, Country relates not just to accessing services but even more so to
culture and nation. Where needed, the Perrottet government will facilitate the
opportunity for Aboriginal voice in social and affordable housing, and
maintaining the quality and integrity of New South Wales’ housing stock.
As part of the
Perrottet government’s 2022 Housing Package, $149.8 million is being spent to
deliver 200 new and 260 upgraded homes for Aboriginal families. In terms of
modernizing existing property, 4,440 climate-resilience and energy-saving
upgrades will be installed to current Aboriginal social homes, helping to
reduce overcrowding and improve quality of life for tenants. Special housing
policy unique to the needs of Aboriginal Australians is not optional – for a
Perrottet government committed to closing the gap, it is a must.
As another
tailored policy, the government recognises older women as being among the
fastest growing cohorts of homeless people, commonly resulting from domestic
and family violence. As of June 2022, under the Social and Affordable Housing
Fund, a total of 1,414 dwellings are targeted to older people and an additional
232 dwellings are specifically for older women. This is an excellent
demonstration of the value offered in collaborating with Community Housing
Partners.
I hope to have
provided you with insight into the macro-scale of the Perrottet government’s social
and affordable housing policy, but I also wanted to address two local issues
head on.
NSW Land and
Housing Corporation (LAHC) is renewing Waterloo’s essential social housing
infrastructure, seeking to deliver greater housing supply and a location that
is close to jobs and transport. The recent Waterloo South rezoning approval
allows for the provision of 847 social housing dwellings – nearly 100 more than
the existing amount of expiring or unsuitable units – and, crucially, 227
affordable homes for low-income workers. More than 35% of new homes in this
precinct as a whole will be social and affordable housing, ten per cent of which
will be dedicated Aboriginal housing, and the plans include a 2.2-hectare
public park next to the under-construction metro station.
The Perrottet Government also recently appointed community housing providers to
deliver the $230 million renewal of Elizabeth Street in Redfern. The
development allows around 300 new homes built, including over 100 social
housing dwellings and a new 3,500 square metre community facility. For the
remaining homes, the project proposes a mix of housing including affordable
homes, homes for key workers, disability support units and private homes.
The Elizabeth
Street renewal additionally aims to accommodate local relocations throughout
the duration of the planned renewal of the Waterloo Estate. By avoiding
significant dislocation, the Perrottet government is supporting greater
connection to Country for Aboriginal residents and the broader community in the
Waterloo renewal and other initiatives necessary to increase the housing
supply.
However,
increasing housing supply alone cannot be seen as the solution. The system
should provide vulnerable people with a safety net when they need it, yet there
must always be a pathway to housing independence in cases where that is a
realistic goal. The barriers to independence must also be addressed.
I believe that
the government’s record speaks for itself on helping vulnerable people get back
on their feet.
Perhaps the
largest barrier, in 2020–2021, 42 percent of all Specialist Homelessness
Service clients reported that they were escaping domestic or family violence.
These domestic violence victim-survivors should never sleep rough.
That is why the
NSW Government is funding 39 new domestic violence refuges, supporting up to an
additional 2,900 more women and children each year who have escaped domestic
abuse and provide them with housing and specialist services. More than half of
these will be in regional NSW. The Perrottet government is committed to
supporting victim-survivors through their crisis period and back into the
housing market.
Beyond domestic
violence, another topical example is problem gambling. The data indicates that,
on average, around one in six people who gamble harmfully experience housing
problems or periods of homelessness. Further, harmful gambling affects between
10 and 20 percent of homeless Australians – a reality that is likely worse in
NSW, where the average poker machine turnover per person is around 75 percent
higher than the national average.
To sum up, I
believe that the Perrottet Government gets the balance right between necessary
increases in the supply of social and affordable housing and ensuring that any
such increases are appropriate for local infrastructure, social networks and
culture. We are proud of our 12-year record, and of course while there is still
so much more to do, there is no doubt that we are heading in the right
direction.
Source: Text supplied by Chris Rath MLC.