Andrew Gee (Calare, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I commend the member for Bradfield for bringing this matter of public importance to this House today, and I congratulate her on her election to our parliament. It's no surprise to anyone that Australia is in the grip of a housing crisis. Every day Australians are suffering from housing stress, be it through mortgage repayments, rental affordability, or risk or experience of homelessness. While successive governments have introduced initiatives to try to ease this crisis, it's clear that much more work and many more initiatives are needed, especially when it comes to providing housing to our most vulnerable.

The housing crisis in regional New South Wales, including across our electorate of Calare, is worsening and demands urgent solutions. The chief executive officer of community housing provider Housing Plus is Justin Cantelo. On behalf of the Western New South Wales District for Housing and Homelessness group, he contacted me recently to outline the extent of the crisis. He points out that 38 per cent of the state's population is now living in regional New South Wales and that internal migration to the regions is continuing to rise. Rents in regional New South Wales have increased by 70 per cent over the past decade, far outpacing Sydney's 48.5 per cent rise, while rental vacancy rates have fallen to just 1.2 per cent. Rental stress now affects over 38 per cent of households in the regions, which is above the state average. Mr Cantelo also points out that social housing waitlists continue to grow, with nearly 26,000 vulnerable households across regional New South Wales seeking secure housing. Rates of homelessness, particularly amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, are significantly higher in regional areas, with western New South Wales recording the highest rates in the state.

Across our electorate, locations such as Orange, Bathurst, Lithgow and the midwestern area report youth homelessness rates above the state average. The central west also continues to experience elevated rates of domestic violence related assaults, further compounding the crisis. The Homes New South Wales 2024 Street Count revealed a 25.5 per cent increase from the previous year in the number of people sleeping rough across New South Wales, with regional areas experiencing the most significant surge. The social housing waitlist continues to grow in regional New South Wales, with 25,897 vulnerable households of the total 65,758, or 39 per cent, across New South Wales seeking housing.

Despite these clear indicators, the Western New South Wales District for Housing and Homelessness group states that regional NSW has been overlooked in critical national housing funding. In the first funding round of the Housing Australia Future Fund, only eight per cent of homes for New South Wales—that's 257 out of 3,265—were allocated to regional New South Wales. In the second round, just one regional project was included. To be clear, the Housing Australia Future Fund is currently failing country New South Wales. While the recent update to the Housing Australia investment mandate includes language on equitable funding, it still lacks clarity and enforceable regional targets. It's sad to say it, but, on its track record so far, the Housing Australia Future Fund is in danger of being renamed and known as the 'Housing Australia Future Fund for City People'.

Without a dedicated and measurable commitment to regional, rural and remote communities, areas like Calare will continue to miss out, and the crisis will worsen. If we're serious about tackling the housing crisis, we must look to innovation and industry for real and effective solutions. Regional Australia, including Calare, is leading the way. In March this year, I had the privilege of attending the opening of the newly transformed Lithgow TAFE building. It had been left dormant for years but was transformed to 17 specialist disability accommodation apartments to provide affordable and appropriate housing to those most in need. The results have been impressive and stunning. Another example of an enterprise that offers solutions to ease the crisis is Green Timber Technology in Orange. It is a new prefabricated housing venture that will utilise local timber, advanced robotics and off-site construction methods to deliver architecturally designed affordable homes at scale, with the capacity to produce one every four hours, once fully operational. It's an example of regional Australia leading the way.

I once again commend the member for Bradfield for bringing this important issue to the House this afternoon.

See this speech in context