Dreadful housing list grows

Kim Waters
More than 2000 Geelong region families are waiting for public housing as State Government bungles Victoria’s affordable housing “crisis”, according to the opposition.
Coalition housing spokesperson Wendy Lovell said another 79 families joined the Geelong list in the three months to June, an increase of more than four per cent.
“This really is a dreadful state of affairs,” Ms Lovell said.
“We have a situation here where 2028 families are languishing on Housing Minister Wynne’s public housing list.
“Whatever spin the minister puts on it, that is 2028 families suffering from the stress, anxiety and uncertainty caused by not having a permanent home to call their own.”
Mr Lovell said high rents and interest rates meant many families could no longer afford private rentals or mortgages.
Public housing was their only option, she said.
“Unfortunately, the public housing waiting list is so long that only the most desperate are being housed and ordinary families are left to languish.
“Thanks to John Brumby’s dismal economic management there’s a real chance these families may never be allocated public housing.”
Ms Lovell accused the Government of failing to provide “any long-term solutions to Victoria’s housing affordability crisis”, squeezing families onto “Labor’s endless public housing waiting list”.
Labor Member for Lara John Eren said the Government had budgeted $40 million for new public housing at Norlane.
“We’re starting construction on 200 new homes and 100 refurbishments of existing homes,” he said.
“That’s a huge investment and a huge injection into public housing but obviously there’s still more to be done.
“This Government has invested a record amount into public housing.”
Mr Erren said he was “happy” with funding allocated to public housing in his electorate, which covers Geelong’s northern suburbs.
“I’m very pleased to have received such a large amount of the state budget for public housing,” he said.