[Jan Fisher]

Do we need more public housing?

Australia is currently experiencing a dire housing shortage and yet there are no moves by any level of government to increase the stock of public housing, in fact, in Victoria they are selling it off to private organisations.

Families in country areas are living in tents due to the lack of affordable housing.

There are a few problems with handing public housing to private operators. First, once the land is sold, it doesn’t come back (usually) so we are pouring public money into private hands.

Second, those private hands get a double dip of our money through the federal government’s rent assistance payment, which is an extra payment for people on certain pensions who rent. We wouldn’t need this if the government owned public housing.

And if governments owned housing they could set rents at an affordable amount, easing housing stress for the disadvantaged.

Instead, government at all levels seems intent on putting it in the ‘too hard’ basket.

My local council sold two social housing projects off to developers and then has the gall to publicly call out the state government for not providing enough public housing!

Do you think there should be more public housing?

[Fiona]

Yes I’m sure more small houses could be built at more affordable prices. The prices for building seem much more when the government arranges anything than if they were done privately.
If they want more immigration more housing should have to be increased before the total increases.

[David Ryder]

No more immigration unless the immigrant can demonstrate they have arranged somewhere to live before arriving here.
Plus end all tax concessions for housing speculators to get house prices and rents to fall.

[Mark B]

It has been reported that there are many people in public housing that do not deserve to be. Once you are in, you’re in for life. If that was sorted out, there would be more room for those that really need the assistance.

[Author]

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