News

| December 03, 2021

Horsham social housing project fails to materialise

A new 31-home social housing project for Horsham is no closer to becoming a reality with the Andrews Labor Government yet to identify a site for the project, let alone draw up plans and lodge planning permits.

The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy said the project had become an absolute fiasco with Labor announcing the project as ‘shovel ready’ and to begin by the end of the year, however months later no land has been acquired, no planning permits issued, no drawings produced and no contract in existence.

Social housing waiting list data for September 2021 show that Horsham’s social housing waiting list has reached an all-time high with 577 vulnerable families waiting for homes, an increase of 343 or 146.58% since Labor was elected in 2014.

Statewide, the total number of applicants on the Government’s Priority Housing Waiting list has almost doubled, rising from 9990 applicants in September 2014 to 19279 applicants in September 2021, an increase of 192.97%.

Priority applicants include the most vulnerable community members including those who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, escaping domestic violence or living with a disability or special housing need.

“I have been told that some support agencies are no longer referring vulnerable people to the waiting list because they know they will never get a home,” Ms Kealy said.

“It is astounding that Labor recently called for community housing agencies to put forward proposals for new social housing projects in regional Victoria when they haven’t even struck a blow on the ‘shovel ready’ Horsham project

“The Andrews Labor Government has had seven years to fix this but has failed vulnerable families both in Horsham and right across the State through its refusal to address the growing need for social housing.

“Yet again, what Labor say and what they do are two entirely different things. They reality is that Labor have done nothing more than put out a media release of false promises, which is cold comfort for thousands of vulnerable people desperately waiting years for a roof over their head and safety for their family.”