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Community facilities | March 31, 2017

Kealy – Hundreds on housing waiting list

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy MP is concerned that an increasing number of the region’s most vulnerable people are being forced onto public housing wait lists.

“The total number of Social Housing Applicants has grown in the Horsham district to a total of 300, with 81 listed as a priority,” Ms Kealy said.

“The latest figures show over a thousand more of our State’s ‘priority’ applicants – including those fleeing family violence, suffering from mental health issues or at risk of homelessness – are waiting for a home,” she said.

Nearly 34,000 Victorians in total are on the public housing wait list, an increase of 867 in the last quarter. More than 9,700 of those people are in regional Victoria.

“Public housing waiting list numbers blew out when Labor were last in government and we are seeing this happen again,” Ms Kealy said.

“The reality of these local figures is that there are 81 applications, either individuals or families in the Horsham area, who are fleeing family violence, suffering from mental health issues or at risk of homelessness.

“The public housing wait list reduced by more than 5,000 under the previous Liberal-Nationals Government.

“Priority applicants are our most vulnerable residents and they need help, not excuses from the Andrew’s Labor Government who should be looking at all options to reduce Victoria’s public housing wait list,” she said.