The Hon Sarah Henderson MP
Federal Member for Corangamite
Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services
MEDIA RELEASE
Victorian Labor spending on social housing drops further
New data out today shows Victoria is spending less than any other state on social housing, and less than half the national average.
The Report on Government Services 2019 – an annual snapshot of government expenditure and efficiency produced by the Productivity Commission – shows the Victorian Government spent $82.94 per person on social housing in 2017-18.
That compares to $173.35 per person in New South Wales and a national average of $166.93.
Federal Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services, Sarah Henderson MP, said the Victorian Government was not keeping pace with the needs of Victorians.
“The Victorian Government has been spending less on social housing per person each year since 2014-15,” Ms Henderson said.
“In October 2018, the Victorian Government announced it would build 1,000 new homes. While welcome, that hardly scratches the surface.”
The Morrison Government is providing the Victorian Government with $395 million this year to spend flexibly on housing and homelessness services under the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement.
“This is a $21m increase on the previous year,” Ms Henderson said.
“The Morrison Government is doing the heavy lifting while Victorian Labor is lagging badly.
“According to its own estimates, 1,700 new homes are needed each year for the next 20 years to simply keep up.
As at 31 March 2018, there were 82,499 people on the Victorian Housing Register.
“Victorian Labor has to fix the disconnect between its low expenditure on social housing and its massive waiting list.
“It is imperative that Labor starts to deliver the investment in social housing which Victorians deserve.”
“Victoria’s decline in funding comes at a time when renters are already feeling the pressure and this will only get worse if Shorten Labor are elected federally.
“As a proportion of income, rents rose in Victoria by nearly 10% between 2006 and 2016.
“A Federal Labor Government would be disastrous for Victorians already struggling to pay their rents.”
“Shorten Labor is proposing a double hit on housing which would affect all Australians. If you rent you will pay more.”
ENDS
22 January 2019
Media contact:
Assistant Minister Henderson: Jennifer Freind 0438 514 981 | jennifer.freind@dss.gov.au
