05th October 2023 12:40
Victorian Legislative Council, Melbourne
Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:40): (439)
My constituency question is for the Minister for Housing, Minister Shing. My constituent is a young full-time worker currently residing in the Dandenong LGA. My constituent lives away from their family in a share house to be near their workplace.
They have recently been forced to look for alternative accommodation. Unfortunately my constituent has run into the same issue many young people living in my region face: that the rental market is in crisis.
Despite their full-time income, they are finding it almost impossible to find a place to call home. My constituent asks: what is the minister doing to give young people specifically a chance to find stable and affordable accommodation in South-Eastern Metro?
Written Answer
Received: 24 January 2024
Hon Harriet Shing MP (Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality)
I thank the Member for the South-Eastern Metropolitan region for her question on how the Victorian Government is supporting young people to access affordable housing in the South-Eastern Metropolitan region.
The Victorian Government recognises that every Victorian deserves the dignity of living in a home that is safe, secure and fit-for-purpose.
Through the landmark $5.3 billion Big Housing Build, we are on track to deliver more than 12,000 new social and affordable homes for Victorians.
The South-Eastern Metropolitan region includes the Cardinia, Casey, Frankston, Greater Dandenong, Kingston, Knox and Monash local government areas with an estimated population of 1,288,551 people (ABS 2021). Across this region, the Victorian Government is investing $446.5 million, including $370 million through the Big Housing Build, $29 million through construction projects and $47.5 million in maintenance and upgrades of existing social housing homes.
This investment will deliver 951 new homes, creating 3,336 jobs in the local economy. A further 3,029 social housing dwellings are being maintained or upgraded to ensure that existing social housing stock is fit for purpose for residents.
As part of the Big Housing Build, the Victorian Government is delivering 2,400 affordable rental homes. These homes will be located close to shops, transport and workplaces. Within a 30-minute drive from Dandenong, affordable homes have been delivered at Blackburn and Ashburton. New homes in the South-Eastern Metropolitan area will shortly be available in Hawthorn and Cheltenham.
The $1 billion Regional Housing Fund, $496.5 million Social Housing Accelerator and the Commonwealth Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund will further increase social housing supply in Victoria, facilitating more allocations from the Victorian Housing Register so more people can be housed.
The Victorian Government released its landmark package to boost housing supply and affordability on 20 September 2023, Victoria’s Housing Statement – The Decade Ahead 2024-2034. The Housing Statement sets a bold target to build 800,000 new homes – 80,000 a year – across the state over the next ten years, delivered through an Affordability Partnership with the housing industry. The 800,000 new homes include new homes in metropolitan Melbourne and 152,000 new homes in rural and regional Victoria.
The Housing Statement focusses on five key areas to tackle the root of the problem, which is housing supply. These five key areas are: good decisions made faster, cheaper housing closer to where you work, protecting renters’ rights, more social housing, and a long-term housing plan.
The Housing Statement includes restricting rent increases between successive fixed term rental agreements to prevent landlords from evicting renters so they can raise the rent price. The Victorian Government is also banning all types of rental bidding and establishing Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria, a one-stop shop for renters, agents, and landlords to resolve tenancy disputes over rent, damages, repairs, and bonds.
I thank the Member for the South-Eastern Metropolitan region for raising these matters on behalf of her constituents, and her commitment to providing social and affordable housing for Victorians.
[ENDS]
