Liberal Party approach to public, social and affordable housing

Before I begin, I’d like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of this land and pay my respects to the Elders past, present and emerging.

Thank you all for being here this evening. Your participation in the conversation surrounding the future of housing in NSW is needed, as it deals with the day-to-day realities of so many of our friends and family. There are few topics more tangible than housing, and NSW has over 158,000 social homes – more than all of Victoria and Queensland combined.

I’ve been invited here tonight to present you with the Liberal Party’s social and affordable housing platform for this upcoming election. If I were to summarise the Perrottet Government’s priority in brief, it is to have keys in doors for as many people in NSW as possible.

Obviously housing policy is not that simple. While housing supply and affordability is key to this Government’s agenda, so too is housing that is designed to support human wellbeing. Increasingly research indicates that location factors such as proximity to local jobs, social networks, infrastructure, and services cannot be ignored.

These factors vary in significance too, depending upon individual needs and the services required in each area. One clear example is the stark difference in considerations between housing in Sydney and housing in regional NSW. Social housing in Waterloo cannot be identical to social housing in Taree. A Perrottet government will leave behind neither Waterloo nor Taree.

A balance therefore needs to be struck between sustainably increasing the supply of social and affordable housing across the state and ensuring that such housing is connected to the local community.

It is in the task of striking this balance where I am convinced the Perrottet Government gets it right. Entirely new housing supply, partnering with Community Housing organisations and innovative planning schemes are necessary to deliver the social and affordable housing needed to service a state of more than 9 million people by 2033.

That is why the Perrottet Government has already endorsed a Greater Cities Commission recommendation for 30 per cent social and affordable housing for new developments on Government-owned land. On this issue Rose Jackson and I, Labor and Liberal, are on a unity ticket. This means that private residential property and social housing will develop in tandem, relieving pressure from both affordable housing prices and the social housing system.

It is also why the Perrottet Government has established the $1.1 billion Social and Affordable Housing Fund, which will have generated 3,486 homes delivered by community housing providers by the end of next year. The value of community housing providers and private sector investment – particularly in the space of quality affordable housing – cannot be ignored.  Over the past 10 years, we have supported Community Housing Provider investment of more than $1.8 billion in new social and affordable homes, boosting our capacity to supply housing to those in need.

In figures, for the 2022-2023 financial year, the NSW Government is spending $1.2 billion across Social Housing and Homelessness Programs. This includes $718 million of recurrent funding for social housing and $394 million of continued funding for Specialist Homelessness Services that have helped more than 70,000 people a year.

Additionally, $300 million will be spent upgrading Land and Housing Corporation owned properties to conduct maintenance as well as install new energy efficiency measures, forming part of a holistic, people-oriented approach to housing.

Modernising existing housing stock – as opposed to simply focusing on the creation of new dwellings – does not score favourable news headlines. Nonetheless, it remains a crucial part of the Perrottet government’s holistic social housing platform as outlined in the NSW Housing Strategy Housing 2041.

As part of Housing 2041, the Perrottet government acknowledges the special needs of regional communities and the particular vulnerabilities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Regional New South Wales will be the key beneficiary of more than 270 new homes designated specifically for teachers, nurses and police under the ‘key worker accommodation’ plan, as part of $328 million spent to improve housing supply in the regions.

The concept of key worker accommodation also acknowledges the need to support essential workers with affordable housing, allowing them to provide their specialised skills to regional New South Wales.

Location considerations are also crucial for Aboriginal communities. For First Nations Australians, Country relates not just to accessing services but even more so to culture and nation. Where needed, the Perrottet government will facilitate the opportunity for Aboriginal voice in social and affordable housing, and maintaining the quality and integrity of New South Wales’ housing stock.

As part of the Perrottet government’s 2022 Housing Package, $149.8 million is being spent to deliver 200 new and 260 upgraded homes for Aboriginal families. In terms of modernizing existing property, 4,440 climate-resilience and energy-saving upgrades will be installed to current Aboriginal social homes, helping to reduce overcrowding and improve quality of life for tenants. Special housing policy unique to the needs of Aboriginal Australians is not optional – for a Perrottet government committed to closing the gap, it is a must.

As another tailored policy, the government recognises older women as being among the fastest growing cohorts of homeless people, commonly resulting from domestic and family violence. As of June 2022, under the Social and Affordable Housing Fund, a total of 1,414 dwellings are targeted to older people and an additional 232 dwellings are specifically for older women. This is an excellent demonstration of the value offered in collaborating with Community Housing Partners.

I hope to have provided you with insight into the macro-scale of the Perrottet government’s social and affordable housing policy, but I also wanted to address two local issues head on.

NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) is renewing Waterloo’s essential social housing infrastructure, seeking to deliver greater housing supply and a location that is close to jobs and transport. The recent Waterloo South rezoning approval allows for the provision of 847 social housing dwellings – nearly 100 more than the existing amount of expiring or unsuitable units – and, crucially, 227 affordable homes for low-income workers. More than 35% of new homes in this precinct as a whole will be social and affordable housing, ten per cent of which will be dedicated Aboriginal housing, and the plans include a 2.2-hectare public park next to the under-construction metro station.

The Perrottet Government also recently appointed community housing providers to deliver the $230 million renewal of Elizabeth Street in Redfern. The development allows around 300 new homes built, including over 100 social housing dwellings and a new 3,500 square metre community facility. For the remaining homes, the project proposes a mix of housing including affordable homes, homes for key workers, disability support units and private homes.

The Elizabeth Street renewal additionally aims to accommodate local relocations throughout the duration of the planned renewal of the Waterloo Estate. By avoiding significant dislocation, the Perrottet government is supporting greater connection to Country for Aboriginal residents and the broader community in the Waterloo renewal and other initiatives necessary to increase the housing supply.

However, increasing housing supply alone cannot be seen as the solution. The system should provide vulnerable people with a safety net when they need it, yet there must always be a pathway to housing independence in cases where that is a realistic goal. The barriers to independence must also be addressed.

I believe that the government’s record speaks for itself on helping vulnerable people get back on their feet.

Perhaps the largest barrier, in 2020–2021, 42 percent of all Specialist Homelessness Service clients reported that they were escaping domestic or family violence. These domestic violence victim-survivors should never sleep rough.

That is why the NSW Government is funding 39 new domestic violence refuges, supporting up to an additional 2,900 more women and children each year who have escaped domestic abuse and provide them with housing and specialist services. More than half of these will be in regional NSW. The Perrottet government is committed to supporting victim-survivors through their crisis period and back into the housing market.

Beyond domestic violence, another topical example is problem gambling. The data indicates that, on average, around one in six people who gamble harmfully experience housing problems or periods of homelessness. Further, harmful gambling affects between 10 and 20 percent of homeless Australians – a reality that is likely worse in NSW, where the average poker machine turnover per person is around 75 percent higher than the national average.

To sum up, I believe that the Perrottet Government gets the balance right between necessary increases in the supply of social and affordable housing and ensuring that any such increases are appropriate for local infrastructure, social networks and culture. We are proud of our 12-year record, and of course while there is still so much more to do, there is no doubt that we are heading in the right direction.

Source: Text supplied by Chris Rath MLC.