Tuesday, 1 August 2023

Ministers statements: Big Housing Build

Colin BROOKS (Bundoora – Minister for Housing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:54): I was delighted to be in Hawthorn this morning inspecting a new social and affordable housing development. Hawthorn is a great area with a great local MP – until the last election, when John Kennedy missed out on re-election. But Mr Kennedy did chair a consultative group for this development at Bills Street – 103 new social housing apartments, nearly doubling the amount of old, run-down social housing that was there previously. There is also a great tenure mix, with 103 affordable rentals there. It is part of the Andrews Labor government’s Big Housing Build, creating 12,000 new social and affordable homes and creating more than 40,000 construction jobs right across the state. 7600 homes have either been completed or are underway. Thousands more social housing homes are being delivered for Victorians who need them the most.

We know that we will likely see continued pressure on our social housing waitlist due to pressures in the broader national economy, but I am pleased to advise the house today that the June quarterly data will show a slight drop in our housing waitlist. I want to thank everyone in the housing sector who is supporting our Big Housing Build and helping to change people’s lives. On top of that, our government has also created the new $1 billion Regional Housing Fund to deliver more than 1300 social and affordable homes right across regional Victoria.

Incredibly we have seen opposition to many of our projects and to the federal government’s housing package by the Liberals and the Nationals and the Greens. Imagine opposing more funding for housing in a national housing crisis. Only Labor is committed to delivering more housing, because only Labor does what matters.

The SPEAKER: Order! Before I call for the next question, I remind members that they will be removed from the chamber for interjecting and speaking over the member who is on their feet.