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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-07-07 Daily Xml
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Affordable Housing

Ms PRATT (Frome) (14:23): My question is to the Minister for Human Services. Is the minister aware of the case of Natasha, reported in the media today? What measures has the minister taken to assist her family? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Ms PRATT: It was reported in the ABC today that Natasha, a single mother with eight children, is 'worried that we're going to end up on the street and have nowhere to go'. Natasha has applied for 46 rentals in the past four months but was rejected for each one.

The Hon. N.F. COOK (Hurtle Vale—Minister for Human Services) (14:23): It's a sad fact that for every one Natasha there are many more people who are seriously in trouble in relation to housing rental affordability. The simple fact, as well, is that there are nowhere near enough houses that are of the size that is required for larger families.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. N.F. COOK: It's really boring, isn't it?

The SPEAKER: The minister has the call. Minister, don't respond to interjections.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Schubert is called to order and the member for Frome is called to order. The minister has the call.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: Every day when issues like Natasha's are raised, including Natasha's, we discuss them within our team and we check to see if people have reached out for assistance and, if any of them have reached out for assistance at all through the Housing Authority or through any of the processes, our staff will then reach out and make sure that everything possible is being done. I have just signed 20—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Unley!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —letters getting really good results for people in terms of housing transfers, getting made category 1 when they weren't, getting given really great attention by our office every day, so they will reach out to Natasha if they have her contact information, and they will make sure that she is getting all the support she can.

The only way we are going to help to remedy problems such as this, including Natasha's, is by increasing the supply of affordable housing into the market. We are working very hard to make sure that the policies that are in place now are suitable, that we are able to grow and improve the offering for people who need public, social, and private rentals. Depending on where they live, the demand for housing in some areas is enormous.

It is a sad fact that as there were many celebrating the increase in population, there was nothing being done to actually address what was going to happen with the ending of NRAS, the reduction in people's affordability to be able to access rentals and the hundreds and hundreds of homes that sat empty on the public housing list. All of these things have improved, and they will improve further by the injection of $177½ million into the public housing budget over the next four years to build hundreds and hundreds of homes.

This is the first time that new money has gone into public housing for many years. The last government brought $600 million or thereabouts forward from the forward estimates to sit in the account and not do anything. We have only seen 60 of the affordable houses go out for sale from the government in four years.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Schubert!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: What we need to do is grow—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hartley!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —and build on the affordable homes program as it was started by Labor in 2007. We are seeing some good parts of that retained.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: We are building public housing, and every day we are getting—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Unley! Member for Morialta!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —results. You are very agitated.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta knows better and is warned. The member for Chaffey is warned. The minister has the call.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: The previous Treasurer, Lob—sorry, that was a Freudian slip—Rob Lucas sold the most public houses out of anyone we know.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta, order! The Treasurer, order!

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