Tasmanian families are facing one of the tightest housing rental markets in the nation as winter approaches and a year on from the Hodgman Liberal Government's "housing summit."
The latest quarterly update from the Real Estate Institute of Australia shows rental vacancy rates in Hobart have reached dire levels a year after Premier Hodgman and his Housing Minister Roger Jaensch promised to address the housing crisis.
"The situation has become worse, not better as Premier Hodgman and Minister Jaensch promised a full year ago," Shadow Housing Minister Alison Standen said.
"Hobart's rental vacancy rate is now the second worst in the country as more and more families struggle to find a roof to put over their heads as we head toward winter.
"Families who are fortunate enough to find a property are now facing Australia's highest rent rises of almost eight per cent over the last year, taking the price of the average three bedroom home to levels beyond their reach.
"That rent increase was more than in major mainland cities including Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth and rents for a two-bedroom unit have risen by 9.4 per cent.
"The Hodgman Government's so-called 'housing summit' a year ago was little more than a stunt designed to achieve a quick headline in response to a very serious situation affecting families – and in the year since it has achieved very, very little.
"The government's private rental incentive scheme for instance – one of the initiatives it trumpeted out of the summit – has been a flop with a drop in the ocean of just 66 properties leased.
"The Liberal Government's Affordable Housing Plan Stage One promised 900 new affordable homes by 30 June 2019 but the latest progress figures show that by last December only 236 new homes had been built – only one quarter of the target.
"Premier Hodgman and Minister Jaensch need to get serious and address a very serious problem – more than 3200 Tasmanians are on the public housing waiting list with an average wait time of more than a year, 1600 Tasmanians are homeless on any given night and families who cannot realise the fundamental right to a roof over their heads are facing a very bleak winter."
Alison Standen MP
Shadow Housing Minister
