Wednesday, 5 March 2025

 Danny PEARSON (Essendon – Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs, Minister for Finance) (14:22): Last week I was lucky enough to join my friend the member for Northcote at the brand new Oakover Road social housing apartments in Preston. We got to meet one of the residents, 80-year-old Tom, who told us how much his new home means to him. Tom is living in one of 99 homes we have built in Preston – comfortable, sustainable, accessible, safe homes. These homes form part of the $6.3 billion Big Housing Build, where more than 10,100 social and affordable homes have been completed or are underway. These homes are absolutely transforming lives, and we are delivering them in partnership with community housing providers. Through the Housing Registrar we regulate community housing to ensure community housing delivers on the social and affordable housing we need.

Sadly, there are some in this place who have spent years opposing community housing. In Ashburton, in Flemington, in Preston – you name it – they have tried to block it. The Greens political party do not care about building more housing in the community. They only care about the protest figure. They do not want the fix; they just want the fight. Community housing provides tailored solutions, and that is what it is all about. That is why as part of the Big Housing Build 10 per cent of new social housing will be for Aboriginal Victorians. The single biggest transfer of wealth in this state’s history to First Nations people occurred when this government transferred housing to Aboriginal-controlled community organisations, because on this side of the house we know that Indigenous Victorians are best placed to care for their communities. But we know the Greens political party do not agree. They believe that they know better and the communities do not deserve a say. It absolutely reeks of paternalism and colonialism. While the Greens and the opposition are on a unity ticket to block new housing, we will keep on fighting to build new homes.