Housing
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:26): (357) My question is to the Minister for Housing. Minister, how is it that, despite spending a staggering number of billions of dollars and pledging to build 12,000 new homes by 2024, there are only 394 additional public housing units? After all those years and the billions of dollars of expenditure, where has all the money gone?
Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:27): Welcome back, Mr Davis. It is always good to be graced with your presence in the chamber. As I have indicated in response to a number of questions which were asked last sitting week, when you were not here, the $5.3 billion Big Housing Build has already delivered 7600 homes, either complete or in planning and construction, which are making sure that as part of that transformative investment we are providing not just homes that meet the needs of residents but homes that are there to be proud of. This is not something that happens in isolation, Mr Davis. This is an investment that is about partnering with all levels of government to make sure that we can take stress off the housing system overall by addressing the challenges of demand with additional supply and that as part of delivering on these 12,000 new social homes we are adding to them with at least 1300 additional social homes across rural and regional Victoria. This is an investment the likes of which Victoria has not seen. It is an investment which is leading the nation. It is an investment –
Members interjecting.
Harriet SHING: It is a shame that you laugh about this, in particular the Greens, who appear to be allergic to housing for communities by virtue of the narrative that unless it is 100 per cent one species of housing the entire thing amounts to a failure. This is about making sure that when we build housing we are doing so in a way that meets the needs of vulnerable Victorians, and this is why there will be a 10 per cent uplift in social housing across the board, why there will be 10 per cent of this housing made available to Aboriginal housing organisations and why women and children victims and survivors of family violence will have access to 10 per cent of this stock. It is also about making sure that when and as we bring these homes on line we are making sure that they meet the needs of communities in a variety of configurations and in a variety of different locations.
Mr Davis, right on your back doorstep there are right now housing developments being completed that you should pay a visit to. They are absolutely extraordinary. They have the excitement of the communities behind them. In fact just last week I was with Mr Batchelor and Elsternwick Primary School students to look at a development which is going to make a world of difference not just to social housing tenants and to their families but also to communities who will call these places home and take great pride in doing exactly that.
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:30): The public housing waiting list is higher than ever. Since 2018 Victoria’s public housing waiting list has grown by 19,686 families. Who is responsible for this debacle?
The PRESIDENT: I am trying to determine how that is supplementary to the substantive question. But in saying that, I will let the minister answer as she sees fit.
Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:31): Mr Davis, social housing is being delivered right now across Victoria. We are making sure that more people are in a position to move into safe, accessible and fit-for-purpose housing in the state as part of this record investment. From 2021, when the Big Housing Build began, to 2023 the number of social houses in Victoria has increased by well over 3000, and at least 10 per cent of what we are delivering amounts to an addition to the Big Housing Build beyond what was already in stock. Mr Davis, Victoria is not the only jurisdiction where housing register lists are increasing. However, Victoria is the only jurisdiction where this record funding has been made, and hopefully we will lead the way with others following suit.