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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2007-10-23 Daily Xml
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AUSTRALIAN HOUSING AND URBAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:42): I had the privilege yesterday of being invited to a briefing on the report that has just been released by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) entitled 'Too Big to Ignore'. This report looks at future issues for Australian women's housing 2006 to 2025. I understand that, yesterday morning, minister Weatherill was at the launch of this report, and I congratulate him and his officers from the Department for Families and Communities on their support for this research.

The researchers were Dr Selina Tually, Professor Andrew Beer and Dr Debbie Faulkner but, as per usual, in true South Australian community sector style, a number of other people contributed significantly to this project, namely Michele Slatter from the South Australian Women's Housing Caucus, Nancy Rogers of the SA Department for Families and Communities, Chelsea Lewis and Gail Jackson from the YWCA of Adelaide, Sylvia Brideoake of the Seniors Information Service (SA) and Gary Wilson from Shelter SA. Not only did they work with the department but also HomeStart Finance, Shelter SA and, as I mentioned earlier, in particular with the South Australian Women’s Housing Caucus.

This caucus was re-established in 2006 because it was felt that there needed to be a focus looking at where women's housing needs would go in the next few years and, fortunately, the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, which is based at Flinders University, made sure that the data it had from the Housing 21 survey was available to back it up, including the research by the team, to make sure that we had the most recent and up-to-date information and also so that the predictions in 'Too Big to Ignore' could be looked at.

The report tells us that we need to make sure that the housing that will be provided in the future reflects the diversity amongst Australian women. The fact that we have women that are culturally, linguistically and financially different who have different needs has to be reflected in the housing and shelter that is provided. Women of all ages will need to sustain their housing alone. Many women already live by themselves, and this is something that is expected to increase as years go by. Without more options being available, women will not have the financial resources to be able to do this.

Indigenous Australia has a distinct and younger demographic. Aboriginal women's housing needs have become even more apparent through this report, and it is predicted that their needs will have to be taken into consideration with any future planning. We have had many reports to tell us that women have been hardest hit by public housing cut-backs. This balance will also need to be looked at. The report tells us that women will be more subject to rental stress and insecurity of tenure. Again, this will have to be taken on board with any future planning.

As we have an ageing community—certainly in South Australia, being the state with the oldest population—we particularly have to take on board that we have more women living longer. At least there is some justice in the world: that women tend to live longer than men. Other than that, many of those women live with disability, and housing needs to reflect that.

As building density increases, the issue of public space and what 'the new backyard' will look like needs to be taken on board. Also, the changing tenures that are available with regard to rental housing and the different products that are now available need to not limit women's housing opportunities but make them extended so that those options are there.

In closing, another point I want to raise is the need for universal design principles to be incorporated into new builds and renovations. I am very pleased that the South Australian public housing sector has taken this on board, but it also needs to happen in the private sector.

Time expired.

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