Member for Whitlam Stephen Jones has called for a plan to address affordable and social housing in growing areas like West Dapto and Calderwood.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Jones made a speech in Parliament last week regarding housing affordability in the Illawarra.
The MP was speaking on the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Housing Affordability) Bill 2017 currently before the Parliament.
Mr Jones said the Whitlam electorate was “sitting in the middle of one of the greatest urban growth areas outside of the Sydney basin” in NSW.
However, he said “tragically, there is not a plan in place for affordable and social housing” in the West Dapto and Calderwood areas.
“This is an indictment on all levels of government,” he said. “We already have a housing affordability problem in the Illawarra.
“We already have a crisis in the Illawarra… We have a crisis, and nobody’s doing anything about it.”
During his address, Mr Jones again raised the issue of Wollongong City Council “sitting on” $9.2 million funding (which has now grown to more than $10.4 million), provided by the former Federal Labor Government in 2013.
Mr Jones previously said the money provided to the council was part of $13.9 million from the Building Better Regional Cities Program, and was to be set aside to help low-and-moderate income earners to buy a home in West Dapto.
During his speech, Mr Jones called for council to meet “immediately” with him, the community and Illawarra social housing providers to agree on a plan for the use of these funds.
A council spokesperson recently said council staff have been carrying out research and working with councillors to identify the best use of these funds.
During his address, Mr Jones said a focus of national reform would need to include supporting women and children escaping family violence, which was forcing them out of their homes and into homelessness.
Labor has also previously announced a $32 billion plan to end negative gearing for existing homes and slash the capital gains discount.
