Regional Housing

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (14:33): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question without notice to the Minister for Regional Development on the topic of housing in the regions.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS: Not sheep tagging today, Mr President. This month, new data released by PropTrack revealed that with a median price of $449,000 the cost of housing in South Australia's regions is as expensive as it has ever been and up more than 75 per cent since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shelter SA executive director Alice Clark has warned that housing was already unaffordable for low income households, but is becoming unaffordable for middle income families too, stating, and I quote:

There doesn’t seem to be any plan for housing in regional South Australia, with the State Government’s focus on metropolitan suburbs and market housing underlined by an underinvestment in social housing.

My question to the Minister for Regional Development is: when will the government finally invest in the social and public housing desperately needed to address the housing crisis in our regions?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:35): I thank the honourable member for his question. It is certainly the case that the Malinauskas Labor government has a housing plan, in contrast to those opposite. It is something that is key throughout our state, not just in metropolitan Adelaide but certainly through our regional areas as well. Of course, there has already been the Regional Key Worker Housing Scheme, which has been announced for some time now, and a number of those houses have already started to be constructed and, if I remember correctly, a number have been completed with more on the way.

That is an important scheme in terms of making sure that we can also fill the gaps in particular occupations, particularly in areas such as health, education and so on. I appreciate that this is one small step, but it is part of the coordinated steps—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Attorney-General!

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS: Point of order: I am actually interested in the response to the question. This is a matter of importance to me, thank you. It is about the housing crisis.

The PRESIDENT: As am I. Please, let's listen to the minister in silence.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: As I was saying, in terms of the Regional Key Worker Housing Scheme that has already begun its roll-out, it is important not only in terms of housing per se but also in terms of being able to attract and retain key individuals for areas such as the health system, education, police and so on.

Just very recently also, expressions of interest have opened for the development of two parcels of land in Whyalla led by Renewal SA through the Office for Regional Housing. That is intended to deliver up to 70 new homes for Whyalla. Of course, the establishment of the Office for Regional Housing itself was a key part of ensuring that we are developing projects which are suited for purpose in our different regional areas. Something that is always important to bear in mind is that it is not a one-size-fits-all in regions. They are different areas with different characteristics, different histories and, indeed, different futures. The Office for Regional Housing is continuing to do its work in terms of supporting this very important area of policy.