Thursday, 9 June 2022

Southern Metropolitan Region

Mr HAYES (Southern Metropolitan) (12:42): (1840) My question is to the Minister for Planning. I have been approached by members of the M9 council group, which includes Stonnington, Port Phillip and seven other inner-metro councils in a collaborative effort to address public housing shortages in these regions. The projected shortfall in the area is 54 000 social housing units by 2025. There are nearly 7000 people experiencing homelessness. There are estimates that 52 per cent of moderate-income households cannot afford to live in the region, impacting the availability of key workers. The group has prioritised mandatory inclusionary zoning of affordable housing in the Victorian planning system to deliver affordable social housing with certainty and at scale. The question is: can the minister provide information on the proposal to introduce mandatory inclusionary zoning controls for affordable housing and further engage with local government, including these M9 councils, to ensure a fit-for-purpose approach?