The Liberal Government has failed Tasmanians for nearly 10 years by failing to plan for increased housing need. Now they are failing Tasmanians again by failing to deliver on their commitment to build 10,000 homes in 10 years.
To deliver on their commitment, they would need to build roughly three homes a day, but they are nowhere near that, currently delivering an average of only one house each day.
Meanwhile Tasmania's most vulnerable are sleeping in their cars, tents, couch surfing, and in some instances, having no option but to stay in an abusive relationships because they simply have nowhere else to go.
Under this government's watch there are an additional 2,000 families on the housing wait list. Wait times have also skyrocketed from an average 21 week wait to an astonishing 90 week average wait time. The reality is many families are waiting even longer.
Housing has not been a priority for this Government since they took office, with a slew of failed housing ministers not delivering on this basic human right. And now all they can do is try to play catch up after years of inaction.
Current Housing Minister Guy Barnett does appear to want to improve the situation, but with the slow delivery of their housing promises, the circumstances for Tasmanians in desperate need is unlikely to improve any time soon.
The new housing authority proposed by Minister Barnett only adds another layer of bureaucracy which runs the risk of slowing things down even further.
The Rockliff Liberal Government is not delivering for Tasmanians and cannot get the basics right on housing. 10 years is too long.
Ella Haddad MP
Shadow Minister for Housing
