THE TASMANIAN CRISIS: HOMES NOT HOUSES!

 

FROM THE EXAMINER: It wasn't so long ago that having a safe place to call home was something Tasmanians took for granted.

Whether buying or renting, the cost of housing was within reach for most if not all Tasmanians and the dream of owning a home was alive and well.

But, for thousands of Tasmanians and their families, skyrocketing rents and interest rates, combined with a lack of housing supply have taken the dream and turned it into a nightmare.

Every day I hear from Tasmanians who are desperately trying to find or keep a roof over their heads.

Life in Tasmania shouldn't be like this but this is the reality for the people contacting us every day in desperation.

There can be no doubt that Tasmania needs solutions now and Labor will help deliver them.

Labor wants to see more Tasmanians owning their own home, which is why we are expanding the MyHome program, boosting funding by $20 million.

This will see 200 more Tasmanians able to get a foot in the door of home ownership, allowing them to buy a home with a deposit of just two per cent.

The MyHome expansion policy complements Labor's other policies aimed at tackling the housing crisis at every part of the housing system, including our Build to Rent scheme.

A future Labor Government will ease the rental crisis by incentivising the development of 1,000 new private rental homes over five years, which will have to remain in the rental market for at least 30 years.

Labor will also regulate the short-stay market, rather than leaving it up to individual councils, including a pause on new whole-home short-stay permits, which will help prevent the loss of any more rental housing from the market.

We will also increase the supply of social housing by urgently repairing 215 houses that remain untenantable and therefore unused.

Each of these is in addition to the commitment to build 10,000 new homes in 10 years.

There can be no doubt that supporting renters and first home buyers, as well as increasing the supply of social and affordable housing, are the right priorities for Tasmania - and the Labor team and I will do everything we can to ensure every Tasmanian has a safe place to call home.

Rebecca White is the Tasmanian Labor Leader

THE STATUS QUO IS UNTENABLE AND UNSUSTAINABLE!