Thursday, 26 May 2022

Homelessness

Ms VALLENCE (Evelyn) (17:06): (6388) The matter I raise is for the Minister for Housing, and the action I seek is to receive a briefing about housing affordability and accessibility in the Yarra Ranges and what measures are being undertaken to tackle the housing crisis, the massive public housing waiting list and the homelessness crisis under the Andrews Labor government. Sadly, around 120 000 Victorians are on the public housing waiting list, including many in my local community in the Yarra Ranges. That is the worst social housing waiting list of any state in Australia and a shocking legacy of this Andrews Labor government. By the government’s own estimates, Victorians will be waiting nearly 17 months for housing, a waiting time that has more than doubled since 2014, since the election of the Andrews Labor government. Vulnerable Victorians need access to housing now. Too many of these Victorians are women and children in my community, with a troubling spike in women over the age of 55 becoming homeless and needing housing support.

Also, there are people that need affordable and accessible housing to take up job opportunities in the Yarra Ranges for jobs in tourism, hospitality, farming and fruit picking, as examples. Andrews’s Labor loves the glossy headline—a big build for social housing—but this is really just a big catch-up over a drawn-out 10 years and after many years of underinvestment and mismanagement. What compounds this problem is that despite a widespread understanding that the cost of construction, building and materials is increasing by more than 30 per cent, there has been no increase in funding by the government to credibly achieve this program.

Furthermore, the state budget revealed a savage cut by $43 million annually for homelessness programs, leaving nearly 1500 of the most vulnerable Victorians out in the cold at the worst possible time. The Council to Homeless Persons chief executive, Jenny Smith, said:

… it’s unfathomable really that this Victorian government … has failed to continue the funding …

The Victorian Public Tenants Association CEO, Katelyn Butterss, called it a ‘cruel trick’, saying:

With the cost of living only increasing, vulnerable Victorians who need support to remain in or access a safe, affordable home need more support—not less …

And that:

Waiting list times are blowing out, yet this Budget fails to deliver the housing that would allow Victorians to access the safety, security, and dignity of a place to call home more quickly.

At this point I would like to take the opportunity to pay tribute to and thank the people and groups in my community who do tremendous work supporting those that need access to housing and those who are experiencing homelessness, including Neal Taylor and Deborah Clancy and volunteers at Holy Fools, Jenny Willetts and volunteers at Stable One winter shelter, Kate Coleman and volunteers at Yarra Ranges Housing Action Group, and Heidi Tucker and team at Anchor. People need support for a variety of reasons—fleeing family violence, due to lockdowns or to afford housing to take up a job—and they need support.