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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-10-16 Daily Xml
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Motions

Housing SA

Debate resumed.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (11:03): I move to amend the motion as follows:

Delete paragraphs (c), (d), (e) and (f) and substitute in lieu the following paragraphs:

(c) congratulates the Marshall Liberal government on undertaking the first asset condition inspection program since 2003;

(d) condemns Labor for running down South Australia's public housing portfolio; and

(e) thanks all the stakeholders involved in contributing to South Australia's new Housing and Homelessness Strategy.

In doing so, I acknowledge firstly in the motion a recognition of the role of government in ensuring all South Australians have a roof over their head. Security in housing and access to shelter are important aspects for the physical and mental wellbeing of South Australians, but they are also important for their dignity, independence and capacity, and there are a number of ways this has been achieved. However, in recognising the role that is played in relation to public housing, it concerns me that the mover of the motion is so critical of the current government when in fact we have acted to ensure that there is some fulfilment of this aspiration.

I come from the Liberal Party. We are proud of the history of the contribution to public housing in this state. Premier Butler, before World War II, established the South Australian Housing Trust. I see that his grandson went over to the dark side and became the federal member for Port Adelaide. Nevertheless, the initiative of a Liberal premier established the Housing Trust in South Australia, which was built for those who were described in those days as the 'working poor'. He built a system to ensure that the enormous migration program, which subsequently came to South Australia, could be accommodated in housing.

That was the model of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, and it was a very good one. On this side of the house, we have a good track record of making sure that we make provision. The models have changed; that is true. But please, members of this house, do not come in and start bleating about the sale of Housing Trust (now Housing SA) property when the previous Labor government, in their time, did two things that I suggest are extraordinarily telling of the duplicity of what is put to us in this regard.

At its peak, public housing in South Australia had over 60,000 properties. Under the previous Labor government, thousands of properties were sold off. Indeed, some 7½ thousand properties were sold off, many of them in lucrative locations. When I first came into this parliament, with the elevation of the previous Labor government, they immediately started earmarking properties in Bragg. Why? Because they were more valuable they were immediately sold.

We provided services for those of refugee status—and for the few we have left we continue to provide services—who needed physical isolation and protection. Large families needed to have larger homes. I could recount in some length the support that the people in my electorate gave to the Bakhtiari family while they were here and needing protection and accommodation while their political status was being determined. So, please, do not bleat about that.

In 2011, Labor—not staggering with safety nets—immediately increased Housing Trust rents from 17 per cent to 19 per cent of income for tenants living in bedsits, and from 19 per cent to 21 per cent for those living in one-bedroom cottage flats. It is true that the previous government attempted to grapple with bad tenants in public housing. I think they utterly failed. They had a sort of 'three strikes and you are out' process.

They failed to really work with SACAT to make sure that those who were genuinely good tenants and living in oppressive circumstances via a tenant arrangement or failing to get proper maintenance on the property, were supported. They were also failing to deal with bad tenants who were continually in breach and who caused property damage and disturbance to the community in which they were living. I think they utterly failed in that area.

A responsible and respectful position needs to be maintained on that. I congratulate the Hon. Michelle Lensink on the work that she has done in this area. I also want to say that one of the very first initiatives of the Liberal government was to have the first asset condition inspection program since 2003. How appalling that we used to see, repeatedly, housing that was not ready for sale but done up, ready for tenants, that would just sit idle with no tenants in it. This was an appalling history of underperformance by the previous Labor government.

Sure, there is a new model and there is work around the sale and transition, for example, to organisations such as Anglicare, who can provide wraparound services to people who are in need of care, especially the cohort to which the mover of this motion has referred. But let's not be ridiculous about this. Let's understand that in the development of these new models we need to have some transfer. This is being done in an orderly, professional and mature manner, in which the best outcomes for people in need of shelter are being provided for.

I also wish to recognise the establishment of the Housing and Homelessness Strategy, which, having had a task force established, produced a report that looked into, via the minister, the development of a 10-year plan, soon to be considered through the announcement process. That is important in targeting the housing needs and aspirations of South Australians and developing more effective and efficient models for the purposes of that implementation: building a housing market that supports housing choice and supply and targets support towards prevention and early intervention.

Congratulations to the minister again on taking this initiative, making sure that we know what we have, doing the audit—and thank goodness for that! It is 15 years late; nevertheless, it still happened, and good on her. She is making it happen and clearly setting out the priorities of the government. New initiatives have also been identified in relation to the supply of housing: $42.2 million under the housing stimulus package for the construction program, $21.4 million for the housing construction program to build 90 new homes and $21.1 million for the preventative maintenance and upgrade programs. We understand what responsibility is in this area and we are actioning it.

The budget also provides to establish an interest-free deposit gap loan of up to $10,000 through HomeStart to help low income borrowers cover up-front costs of buying a home. I am pleased to see in the media this last week the extra loans that have been taken up by graduates from our universities—excellent. What did the previous government do? They started preparing a plan to look into selling HomeStart. As usual, they were looking for cash for prop-up measures in relation to their own irresponsible public mismanagement of the finances on behalf of South Australia.

Many members are already familiar with the asset condition inspection program. There is the establishment of the new $6.8 million affordable housing shared equity initiative, called Assist, to help South Australian with low and moderate incomes. Members, we have already established in the first 18 months of the new government a priority for housing. We recognise the importance of this. Shame on the previous government for abandoning their responsibility in this area, so please do not come in here with crocodile tears and be dismissive or rude about the positive initiatives that this government is now employing.

The Hon. R. SANDERSON (Adelaide—Minister for Child Protection) (11:11): Public housing and homelessness is a significant social problem across Australia. This very significant social problem is particularly relevant to me as the member for Adelaide and also the Minister for Child Protection. In my electorate and specifically within the CBD, September figures provided from the Adelaide Zero Project by-name list show that 163 people were identified as sleeping rough at 18 September, compared with 208 in August and greater numbers in July, June and May.

This reduction, while acknowledging the figures can fluctuate, is a step in the right direction thanks to the work of the South Australian Housing Authority and homelessness service providers. The reopening earlier this month of a boarding house in Waymouth Street provides an opportunity for couples and people with pets to seek assistance. Pets and couples, not typically accepted into boarding houses, will be able to sleep safe and access specialised services in this transitional accommodation.

Shockingly, at the time of forming government an asset condition report of housing stock had not been conducted since 2003. Further, the triennial review into the South Australian Housing Trust conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, tabled last year, demonstrated that assets not sold off had been left neglected, leaving a maintenance backlog bill anticipated to be hundreds of millions of dollars.

In this year's state budget, a $42.2 million housing stimulus package was announced, comprising a $21.4 million construction program and a $21.1 million preventative maintenance and upgrade program. This will make some inroads into addressing the legacy of Labor's blatant disregard for the critical need to maintain housing stock at appropriate levels and in good habitable condition, and to provide residents with dignity and respect.

The establishment of the Housing and Homelessness Taskforce to lead the reform and the development of this government's housing and homelessness strategy, along with the appointment of Ian Cox, who many will know was the driving force behind the Hutt St Centre, who will lead the new Office of Homelessness Sector Integration, are very significant. With this in mind, there is a clear direction to build the necessary framework to meet the 10-year vision that all South Australians have access to appropriate and affordable housing that contributes to social inclusion and economic participation.

Within my local community, I work to support various service providers who focus on supporting those vulnerable South Australians who are facing homelessness. Sadly, of the more than 21,000 people who sought the assistance of the South Australian Specialist Homelessness Services in the 2017-18 year under the former government, almost two-thirds were impacted by domestic violence, drugs and/or alcohol and mental health, or in some cases a combination of all three. These are also the three main contributing factors resulting in children needing to enter the child protection system. The correlation reminds us of how important a whole-of-government approach is to these social issues.

Research also shows that youth who are in foster care and juvenile justice settings are at increased risk of becoming homeless compared with other young people. The national Swinburne study on youth homelessness identified that 63 per cent of Australia's homeless young people were care leavers. The Transitioning from Care report card stated that as many as 40 per cent of young people discharged from statutory care experience homelessness within 12 months of exiting. To combat this, one of the first policies taken to the 2018 election was Stability in Foster Care. I am proud this commitment was met inside our first 100 days, fully budgeted and, since the 1 January 2019, fully implemented so that foster and kinship carer payments have now been extended to the age of 21.

There are clear operational protocols between DCP and Housing SA, ensuring the two agencies work collaboratively in the interests of all young people who are transitioning from care into independent living, as well as providing support by DCP caseworkers and/or Housing SA workers where appropriate. The Department for Child Protection also works with CREATE and Relationships Australia to support those transitioning from care into independent living and can direct care leavers to apply for the Transition to Independent Living Allowance paid through the commonwealth Department of Social Services and grants from the Dame Roma Mitchell Trust.

Another program delivering supports to young people aged up to 21 in Upper Spencer Gulf who are leaving care is the Transition to Adult Life Intensive program. This program involves intensive case management services, peer mentoring and assistance to access education and employment. It is imperative that young people in care who are transitioning to independent living have access to these services to support them on their path to adulthood. These are all key features to equip young people with the life skills necessary to reach their potential and prevent homelessness. I applaud the inroads made by my colleague, minister Lensink in the upper house, in the area of homelessness and commend the motion as amended by the Attorney-General to the house.

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (11:17): I rise today to speak to the amended motion in relation to public housing. I thank the Attorney-General for bringing these amendments to the motion put before the house by the member for Hurtle Vale. The motion, as proposed to be amended, is as follows:

That this house—

(a) acknowledges the role of the government in ensuring that all South Australians have a roof over their head;

(b) recognises the valuable role that Housing SA plays in ensuring that South Australians have access to quality public housing and in providing an injection of housing stock into the market to keep a lid on private rent rises;

(c) congratulates the Marshall Liberal government on undertaking the first asset condition inspection program since 2003;

(d) condemns Labor for running down South Australia's public housing portfolio; and

(e) thanks all the stakeholders involved in contributing to South Australia's new Housing and Homelessness Strategy.

It is a worthy amendment to the motion and one that I support. My support for this amended motion is a reflection of experience in my regional electorate of MacKillop. MacKillop carries a legacy of neglect and poor decision-making by Labor with respect to public and social housing. Public housing forms an important part of the housing continuum. It has an important role in protecting vulnerable tenants against rental stress, providing accommodation for people at risk of homelessness, and can provide a stepping stone people need to secure private rental.

Public housing forms an important component of the housing and rental market. Where public and social housing are unable to meet demand, there are implications for the rental market and difficult and stressful consequences for those, in particular on lower incomes, who are in need of housing. We know that under Labor our public housing system was left to erode. It was variously sold off to prop up the budget of the day and used to raise cash for the trust.

The maintenance budget for public housing was slashed. This has been to the serious detriment of the lives of many tenants of Housing Trust homes and those who are in need of public housing today. This decision-making and lack of action have left a maintenance backlog bill that totals in the hundreds of millions of dollars. I can quote from a meeting where I was informed that the average Housing Trust home has a maintenance bill of $18,000, but if you compare city and regional areas, city houses had a maintenance backlog of $16,000 whereas the regions had a backlog of $26,000, a clear discrepancy between regional and city housing.

Our regional experience today highlights the role that state and, indeed, local and federal governments have in ensuring that South Australians do have a roof over their heads. The townships of Naracoorte and Bordertown are experiencing challenges in relation to housing. There are different drivers for these pressures; however, a key part of the solution lies in roles to be played by local, state and federal governments.

Key housing challenges vary. For example, in Naracoorte one of the housing pressures is the need for social housing for low-income families and individuals. Unfortunately, prospective tenants cannot all be accommodated, with the waiting list for social housing said to be more than 50 applicants in Naracoorte alone. By way of context, the social housing stock we have has been transitioned from Housing SA to Unity Housing, which today is actively seeking solutions to the condition of its housing assets and engaging in partnerships to grow housing stock to meet the needs of tenants.

Labor's decision-making has meant that we are living with a legacy of lower levels of social housing availability and social housing stock that has not been upgraded to ensure cost-effective and efficient operation. We need accessible housing that is fit for the climate and energy efficient. It needs to be affordable. Housing solutions are also needed to accommodate migrant workers who are being attracted to the regions to address worker shortages in meat processing businesses that operate in Naracoorte, Bordertown and surrounding districts.

Finding appropriate and fit-for-purpose housing solutions for migrant workers can also be a challenge. Just one of the challenges faced by migrant workers is that they often come to the region without the ability to pay a bond and provide rental references, and they can have challenges in understanding the rental system and other associated costs. If these factors are not addressed, these workers are significantly disadvantaged in their efforts to find accommodation and, importantly, settle and stay in the region to work and live in the community.

In addition, we find that the configuration of housing stock does not necessarily meet the needs of a range of migrant workers, from individuals through to those with large and very large families. Other complexities faced by the regions include small rental markets, such as those in Bordertown and Keith, which means that finding suitable housing for anyone seeking to move there is challenging.

We have also found that there are barriers to capital investment to grow housing stock in smaller regional communities. There is no social housing available in Bordertown or Keith. To address these issues, ensure adequate social housing and provide opportunities for affordable and fit-for-purpose housing for all our community requires a strong and collaborative approach by local, state and federal governments.

I am pleased to advise the house that at the electorate level we are working on these challenges. I have been working with the Tatiara council, the Naracoorte Lucindale Council, PIRSA, Regional Development Australia Limestone Coast, Unity Housing, the Australian Migrant Resource Centre and the federal Liberal member for Barker, Tony Pasin, to seek solutions to a range of housing challenges, both social housing and affordable housing, as well as the short and long-term rental challenges for our migrant workers.

The issues we have been experiencing at the electorate level are complex and unique to our area, but they are representative of the level of complexity of housing challenges faced by communities across the state. The Marshall Liberal government has recognised this and is responding to these complex housing challenges by establishing a housing and homelessness task force. Our government has a range of actions underway to support social housing and ensure that people have a roof over their heads.

A key initiative includes the development of a new housing and homelessness strategy, which will be a 10-year plan to implement our vision that all South Australians have access to appropriate and affordable housing that contributes to social inclusion and economic participation. I was pleased that, as part of the development of the strategy, a key consultation workshop was undertaken in Naracoorte earlier this year. This workshop provided an opportunity to bring together a range of stakeholders to examine the issues, drivers and potential options to address matters related to housing and homelessness.

I am informed that the participation and input to the local workshop by the great array of stakeholders who are committed to housing solutions and the welfare of our community was considered, compassionate and forward thinking. We are fortunate that there is a diverse and committed group of people who have been involved in laying the foundations for our statewide strategy. I thank these people and others across the state who have continued to contribute to the development of the strategy. I look forward to the focus that the strategy will bring in addressing the complex issues we face. Strong alliances and partnerships between sectors and governments will be required to support a modern and multiprovider social housing system.

The strategy, coupled with a range of other initiatives, including investment identified in this year's budget, is leading our government's efforts to addressing housing accessibility challenges. Investment includes a commitment of $21.1 million for a preventative maintenance and upgrade program and funding to establish an interest-free gap loan of up to $10,000 through HomeStart to help low-income borrowers cover the up-front cost of buying a home. These are just some of the measures our government is initiating for support and access to housing.

Another important measure that is seeking to address the neglect of Labor is the instigation of the housing asset condition inspection program to assess the physical and structural condition of SA Housing Trust properties. The fact that this is a long overdue program which has not been reported on since 2003 should be one of Labor's greatest embarrassments and is yet another blight on Labor's time in government.

If I may, Mr Speaker, with a couple of minutes to go, say that we do have these forums rolling out in my electorate and we do have an affordable housing issue in the area of MacKillop. We have two magnificent, large businesses that employ a lot of people in the processing of livestock, and they are very, very important to our region. However, one of the biggest pitfalls and hurdles they have is finding workers to actually work in these industries.

One of the shortcomings but also one of the most progressive advantages that these two businesses have is that they use migrant workers. They come from all over the world, and they have a lot of issues to deal with, and one of them is housing. It is not necessarily a social housing issue but it is an affordable housing issue. One thing they have to work through is the expectations of what they are doing in our country and what they expect to pay for rent. They expect to pay $30 or $40 a week, and to do that they have to share a house with 10 others to pay for a house that costs $300 to $400 to rent. There are lots of issues to work through, but it is certainly an issue that is holding back our region, and it needs to be solved.

People having a roof over their head is a basic necessity for security and wellbeing. All South Australians deserve to be part of the delivery of our vision that all South Australians have access to appropriate and affordable housing that contributes to social inclusion and economic participation. I look forward to our government's continued progress on reining back the dire situation in which our public and social housing have been left to flounder under Labor. For the benefit of all South Australians, I commend the amended motion to the house.

Ms COOK (Hurtle Vale) (11:27): Clearly, we will not be supporting the amendments. There are a couple of things to be said about them. Yesterday, a couple of things were said in question time as well, that we all should just be thankful for someone doing something, like a minister doing something in his portfolio. In the other house, the deaf community were completely disrespected by a sledge across the chamber, with a Liberal minister saying that the Labor opposition were either deaf or worse. Well, today, what we have been told is that we have been—

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order. Member, one moment. There is a point of order.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Firstly, this is not germane to the motion before us but, most importantly, it is reflecting on the other place. I would ask that the member desist from that.

The SPEAKER: Whilst the member—

Members interjecting:

Ms COOK: What point of order are you talking about? What is going on?

The SPEAKER: If you could just sit down for one moment. Whilst it is true that members should not impute improper motives to any other member, the member did not name any minister. I would caution her about future remarks, and I ask her to come back to the substance of the motion, please.

Ms COOK: In the speech made by the deputy leader, it was alleged that I was dismissive and rude in my comments today in this chamber. I do not believe that I was dismissive and rude at any point; I was merely making a point.

The SPEAKER: Do you mean the Deputy Premier?

Ms COOK: Sorry, yes, the Deputy Premier. I was merely making a point. Yesterday, we were accused and told that we should just be thankful and grateful for things that are done and also that the deaf community being disrespected is all part of the way people are speaking in here. I do not think any of it is useful or germane to any of the debates, quite frankly.

I thank the member for Adelaide for raising the Zero Project numbers. She has chosen to point out that in the last six months the numbers of homeless people in the CBD who were counted have gone down, but they have not gone down to anywhere near the point they were when the Liberal Party came into government. The number that homeless people sit at within the CBD is still around 30 higher than it was in May of 2018. While we see these rises and falls, I do not believe that that has gone the full way, but I thank her for raising that.

The member for Adelaide also raised the point that a property on Waymouth Street has now been opened. That is a great initiative; however, it was ready for use in April, so it has sat empty and ready for use for six months. That is unfortunate, considering we have had this average number of around 200 people in the CBD who sadly have been left without a roof over their head. The date of the availability of that property was provided to me yesterday in an answer from the Deputy Premier: that property was available in April. I am a bit disappointed with that.

I would like to call out again this nonsense about Labor being the only party that would ever sell off public housing to any number. I can tell you that between 1993 and 2002, when the Liberal government was last in power, on average they sold off 3,000 public housing properties per annum—that is 3,000. Rob Lucas was at the helm as Treasurer around this time. That is 3,000 per year on average. Over the period Labor was in government, their average was 500 per year. What have the sales been in the last 18 months? I can tell you that they have not stopped.

So they should not come in here preaching to us about some utopian world where the Liberal government sit on a high horse around sales of public housing properties when they are the real estate agent kings when it comes to selling public housing. They have proven that, and they will continue to prove that as time goes on. It needs to come to a stop.

In terms of the transfer of stock to social housing providers, the brakes have gone on since the Liberals came to government. The housing providers are sitting, waiting for further guidance and support to be able to continue these great projects. We need to work together to get this moving. All people need to be singing from the same songbook when it comes to public housing.

I thank you for your history lesson from the point of view of privilege, but, no, I will not be bleated at either. We do not approve of the amendment.

The house divided on the amendment:

Ayes 24

Noes 18

Majority 6

AYES
Basham, D.K.B. Chapman, V.A. Cowdrey, M.J.
Cregan, D. Duluk, S. Ellis, F.J.
Gardner, J.A.W. Harvey, R.M. (teller) Knoll, S.K.
Luethen, P. Marshall, S.S. McBride, N.
Murray, S. Patterson, S.J.R. Pederick, A.S.
Pisoni, D.G. Power, C. Sanderson, R.
Speirs, D.J. Teague, J.B. Treloar, P.A.
van Holst Pellekaan, D.C. Whetstone, T.J. Wingard, C.L.
NOES
Bedford, F.E. Bettison, Z.L. Bignell, L.W.K.
Boyer, B.I. Brown, M.E. Close, S.E.
Cook, N.F. (teller) Gee, J.P. Hildyard, K.A.
Hughes, E.J. Koutsantonis, A. Malinauskas, P.
Michaels, A. Mullighan, S.C. Odenwalder, L.K.
Piccolo, A. Picton, C.J. Stinson, J.M.
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