Vinnies welcomes housing and homelessness commitments

St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia welcomes the commitment by the Australian Labor Party to develop a National Housing and Homelessness Plan and establish a National Housing Supply and Affordability Council.

National President Ms Claire Victory said housing is a fundamental human right, vital to human dignity.

‘For too long, federal governments have failed to provide national leadership to address the growing housing crisis and support access to affordable and safe housing,’ Ms Victory said.

‘The Australian dream has become a nightmare, with a whole generation unable to afford a home and a growing number of Australians at risk of becoming homeless as wages and income supports fail to keep up with surging costs of living,’ Ms Victory said.

‘For years, Vinnies has been calling on the Federal Government to deliver a national housing strategy and to work with all governments and stakeholders to address the housing crisis.

‘Labor’s commitment to develop a National Housing and Homelessness Plan and establish a National Housing Supply and Affordability Council in consultation with key stakeholders is a welcome and important step forward. This will give some hope to many Australians locked out of home ownership or at risk of homelessness,’ Ms Victory said.

The St Vincent de Paul Society has long advocated for a well-designed and targeted shared equity housing program to help low-and-middle income earners into a home, while avoiding upward pressure on prices.

‘The Help to Buy shared equity program will also provide modest assistance and is welcome as part of a broader approach promising structural reform,’ Ms Victory said.

St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia calls on all parties and candidates at this month’s federal election to do more to address Australia’s housing and homelessness crisis.

‘Australia desperately needs further reforms to address the housing and homelessness crisis,’ Ms Victory said.

‘We call on all parties to commit to increasing JobSeeker and Commonwealth Rent Assistance, reinstating the National Rental Affordability Scheme, funding the National Low Income Energy Productivity Program, and establishing national minimum standards for renters and landlords to manage tenancy issues,’ Ms Victory said.

These demands are set out in Vinnies federal election statement, A Fairer Australia.