Page 1595 - Week 05 - Thursday, 2 June 2022
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Our laser-like focus on housing is one of many reasons I chose to join, campaign and now proudly represent the ACT Greens in this place. We went to the 2020 territory election with a plan for a home for all, and we are absolutely committed to ensuring that every Canberran has a home. We sought to build and were able to secure commitments in the parliamentary and governing agreement with ACT Labor to the policy prioritisation of public housing. This plan includes building and buying 400 new public housing dwellings over this term, a commitment which saw a doubling of the existing housing targets. The centrality of housing to the parliamentary and governing agreement reflects the commitment of our two governing parties to provide secure housing for all.
Addressing issues of housing and security is essential to meeting the basic needs of Canberrans and then being able to provide adequate supports to remediate other social inequalities. Increasing Canberra’s public housing stock and improving the services provided to our tenants is core to the ACT Greens’ vision for building a just and equitable city.
Thanks to Minister Vassarotti and her team, since February last year the government has made financial commitments of more than $12 million, in addition to the $25 million provided annually to support people who are at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness. The territory government, and indeed the Chief Minister, led the nation by appointing specifically a minister for homelessness. I am pleased to see the new federal Labor government take that lead.
As a member of the crossbench, I have taken a particular interest in housing affordability and the role of the Assembly’s functions in finding solutions to this crisis—not headlines; solutions. This year alone, I have put forward two separate motions to the Assembly asking this Assembly to inquire into housing affordability, the mechanisms available to government to incentivise people to rent out their properties and the barriers in place to ensuring that every single dwelling that can be occupied in our city is indeed occupied.
As a local member, I have asked questions to my ministerial colleagues ad nauseum about public housing in my electorate. This includes questions about the causes of some of the delays to building public housing that my constituents are witnessing. I know that people that I represent are absolutely adamant about the need to build and buy more homes. I appreciate their ongoing support and questions that demonstrate their enthusiasm for ending this crisis.
Investment in public housing is the gift that keeps on giving. It has positive effects far beyond each dollar spent. As Kate Colvin, the national spokesperson for Everybody’s Home explains:
Providing access to affordable homes to people on low and modest incomes means more people have the stable home they need to be refreshed and healthy for a day’s work or education. It decreases the strain on our hospitals, police, mental health and community services.
It also happens to be the right thing to do.
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