In the biggest makeover to public housing in recent years, a record maintenance injection thanks to the Marshall Liberal Government has delivered long-overdue upgrades to hundreds of homes left to rack and ruin by Labor, supporting vital jobs and benefitting our most vulnerable South Australians.
In 2020-21, a record $168 million in maintenance funding supported about 1300 FTEs, resulting in upgrades to some of the state's most rundown and neglected public housing.
Peeling paint, rundown exteriors, holes in walls and 1950s and 60s kitchens and bathrooms have been replaced with freshly painted white interiors, rendered exteriors, new lighting and landscaping and in some cases, new kitchens and bathrooms.
Minister for Human Services Michelle Lensink said the Marshall Liberal Government was "getting on with the job of bringing our public housing back up to scratch while supporting hundreds of jobs every year."
"Our deliberate and targeted public housing maintenance work right across the state is providing a steady pipeline of work for South Australian tradies," said Minister Lensink.
"Labor left our public housing to rot and these before and after pictures speak for themselves.
"In contrast, the Marshall Liberal Government is systematically upgrading our housing trust homes to bring them back up to scratch after almost two decades of neglect under Labor.
"Rotting walk-up flat exteriors, holes in walls, peeling paint and outdated kitchens and bathrooms have been refreshed and revamped in hundreds of public homes, as well as landscaping and better lighting.
"Labor and Peter Malinauskas say they care about our most vulnerable yet they sold a whopping 7,500 public homes worth $1.5 billion and used our housing trust as an ATM.
"You simply can't trust Labor – they say one thing yet do another."
Recent maintenance work includes:
An upgrade to 1400 properties, including walk-up flats, is now complete.
Works included internalising laundries, exterior and interior painting, landscaping, installing solar panels, new kitchens and bathrooms.
The upgrades included:
- Rosslyn Court, Block 1, Parkside
- Rellum Court, Glengowrie
- Anne Close, Christie Downs
- Stow Court, Fullarton
- Avondale, Elizabeth
- Drew Court, Oaklands Park
- 105 individual properties throughout the metropolitan and regional areas requiring new kitchens, bathrooms and rooves
An additional $21.1 million package from the 2019-20 State Budget is now spent, providing huge make-overs to some of the state's most rundown walk-up flats including:
- Mellor Court (Gilberton)
- Bonython Court (Hawthorn)
- Yeomans (Henley Beach)
Given the level of neglect at the walk-up flats, work is ongoing to bring them back up to scratch.
In addition, upgrades included:
- 250 properties across metropolitan Adelaide
- 40 properties on Kangaroo Island
