Thursday, 11 September 2025

Ministers statements: housing

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:08): The housing statement represents a nation-leading commitment to build 800,000 homes in Victoria over the coming decade. Our action on these reforms is seeing results. Victoria continues to lead, beyond New South Wales and Queensland, in building approvals, completions and commencements, and yesterday we announced a plan to open doors for Victorian homebuyers near key transport corridors.

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! Could the clock be reset, please. There may be a point when the minister does get provocative in her ministers statement. I do not know, but I do not think she has so far. Minister, from the top. We will see how we go.

Harriet SHING: The housing statement represents a nation-leading commitment to build 800,000 homes in Victoria over the coming decade.

David Davis interjected.

Harriet SHING: Mr Davis, you talk about the work we are doing to deliver on the housing statement, and then you and your colleagues stand up and block and oppose and deny people the opportunity to have a home whilst also talking about a shortage of housing. The best thing you have built is a narrative of hypocrisy over there.

Our action on this work is in fact seeing results. We continue to lead, beyond Queensland and New South Wales, in building approvals, completions and commencements, and yesterday we announced our plan to open doors for Victorian homebuyers near key transport corridors. So for those of you on the opposition benches who are calling for housing, it would be great if you could get on board with those announcements that we have made.

The draft activity centre mapping will help to deliver more than 300,000 homes close to jobs, services and transport by 2051. Let us be really clear: they are draft activity centre maps, because we want to hear people’s views on them. And today we have announced that we are going to unlock even more housing for young families by making it easier for Victorians to build a second home or subdivide their blocks. This is about delivering more homes for Victorians in the suburbs where people want to live.

Speaking of which, the member for Brighton in the other place, speaking to the media, said that no-one asked for this announcement, just like no-one asked for treaty or the towers. Well, you know what, people are asking for homes, and I would say to those opposite who are opposing and blocking the delivery of homes to look people in the eye who are wanting to buy or get into a home closer to where they grew up, who deserve the same opportunities that you and that your parents had, and to get on board or get out of the way. While you block, we build.