Friday, 14 November 2025

 Will FOWLES (Ringwood) (14:36): My question is to the Premier. One month ago, on Tuesday 14 October, I asked the Premier how many of the 11,100 homes described as being completed or in construction or planning under the Big Housing Build had in fact been completed, noting that Victorians cannot live in a permit. In her response the Premier said, ‘I will seek that information from the minister for housing.’ I subsequently followed up this undertaking in writing, but of course no updated figures have yet been provided. Victorians still do not know how many homes are actually completed and ready for tenants. After having spent $8 billion on this project and with more than 66,000 Victorians on the public housing waitlist, transparency about what has been built, not merely planned, is essential. What information has the Minister for Housing and Building provided to the Premier in response to her undertaking to seek the current number of completed homes under the Big Housing Build?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:37): In acknowledging the member for Ringwood’s question, of course we can only have a discussion about building more homes here in Victoria because our government is investing in the Big Housing Build to build more homes right across the state. In terms of the information that the member for Ringwood is seeking, the member for Ringwood I think has previously been advised that we are delivering through our $6.3 billion of investment in the Big Housing Build more than 13,300 social and affordable homes across Victoria, with more than 10,100 homes completed or underway. Of course we are working hard to build more homes here in Victoria. I note that the government builds homes through its investment in directly funding housing through the Big Housing Build. We also understand that we need to work with the private sector to build more homes, and we are indeed leading the nation in terms of the number of homes that are built here in Victoria.

I do not want to anticipate debate, but in pulling every lever available to the government to get on and build more homes, we are in the process of overhauling the old legislation that supports NIMBYs not getting more homes being built. I note that legislation is being opposed by those opposite. Whilst the leader of the opposition is in China saying one thing, his shadow minister for planning is in the house saying another.

Will Fowles: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the Premier has again used this concatenation of homes that are completed or underway. The question quite specifically referenced the specific information she said she was going to get from the minister for housing for the number of homes completed – not completed or underway, just completed.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked. The Premier has concluded her answer.

 Will FOWLES (Ringwood) (14:40): My supplementary question is: does the government know how many homes have been completed?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:40): I can advise the member for Ringwood that we have built more than 2900 homes over the past year.